


Season Four: Fight or Flight

by MissShawnaAlice



Series: Rescue Special Ops Fan Seasons [1]
Category: Rescue: Special Ops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-03
Updated: 2014-11-03
Packaged: 2018-02-24 00:38:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 101,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2561621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissShawnaAlice/pseuds/MissShawnaAlice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set a few months after 3.22 (Two Fires), the Rescue team are back on deck, and ready to go. But what central event changes everyone's lives in an instant?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 4-1: Girl on Roof

_EPISODE 4.1 – Girl On Roof._

_Disclaimer – I don't own the Rescue Series, but miss it dearly since it left TV. This is set after the last episode, 3.22 (Two Fires). I'm intending this as what would have happened in Season 4._

_MissShawnaAlice xx._

* * *

**Rescue Station:**

"Alright team, we've had a callout to Drummoyne area. Some sort of an explosion at a university has left some students injured, several missing, and one on the roof, who refuses to get down. Dean, Chase, Lachie in one Patrol, Jordan and Heidi in the other." The team nodded at Vince Marchello, and disappeared down the stairway to the patrols, with their unit leader. Vince ran his hands through his greying hair, and wished he could be out there with the rest of his team.

"Vince, I need you to check over these log sheets for me." He walked into Michelle's glass-walled office, and took the papers off her. He rubbed his chest sub-consciously as he read through the teams logbooks. Michelle looked up from her laptop and opened her mouth to speak, but was distracted when Vince's radio crackled to life.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Base. Vince, we're here."

* * *

**Drummoyne:**

"Heidi. Can you assess the injured students on the ground? Lachie, help Heidi. Chase, Jordan, find me a list of everyone here on campus, and work out who's missing." The teams split up. Dean wished he had Lara here. It had been several months after Lara left, and they had scrambled to find a replacement, but to no avail. So the gap Lara had left behind stayed empty, and Dean still hoped every-day that she would come back to Rescue. So far, no luck.

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable One, what's the sit-rep Dean?"

"Just waiting for Lachie and Heidi to get back to me, I'll have details for you in a few minutes."

"Could you use another pair of hands down there?"

"Probably Vince, but I don't see anyone volunteering." The press came over to Dean and started pushing microphones into his face, shouting questions at him.

"Excuse me sir, can you tell me the cause of the explosion? How many people are injured? Are they going to sue whoever did this?" As the questions came on thick and fast, Dean waved them away.

"If you're volunteering Vince, that'd be great. Can you bring Michelle down to run some interference with the media? They're breathing down our necks here."

"Copy that Dean. Michelle and I will be down there in five minutes. See you there." Chase and Jordan came back accompanied by a gentleman, who was clutching a list in his hands.

"Jordan, go help Lachie and Heidi. Chase, with me." The man handed Dean the list. Chase peered over his shoulder at the list of names.

"This is James McAndrews, he's the director here. He's done a check on all students, and four are missing. A dancer, Alayna Matthews, a drama student, Jesse Davis and two graphic design students, Bree Anderson and Jack Harris."

"Who's the one on the roof?"

"How did she get up there?" Chase sounded astonished as he looked around for the fire ladder. Nothing around us suggested how she got up there.

"That is… Alice Walker. She's an music student."

"Right, thank you." Vince pulled up behind Chase and Dean, and jumped out of the truck, Michelle hot on his heels.

"They're over in the student centre Michelle. Go do some PR work for us, so we can do our jobs." Michelle had an evil glint in her eye as she went to take on the network media teams that had arrived.

"Thank you sir. If you could join the rest of the students in the student centre, we'll take it from here." He walked slowly off to the centre. Vince looked at Dean.

"Who do we deal with first?"

"We've got to get the girl off the roof, and treat her. We can look for the missing students after that." Vince nodded.

"I'm gonna go help Heidi and Lachie with triage."

"Go Chase, we'll be fine." Chase sprinted away.

"Have you got the blue-prints of the school Vince?"

"Yep, they're in the truck. Printed them fresh off this morning." Vince reached in and pulled out the rather large map of the university. Dean pointed on the map to a roof-access point, near what used to be the schools theatre.

"I think she got up that way, although, it's now been demolished, thanks to whatever happened here. We'll have to set up ropes and climb up."  
"Sounds fine by me mate. Let's get her down so we can look for these other kids." Vince went to the back of Dean's Patrol, and started pulling out the harnesses and ropes so they could set up. He felt a tingling numbness in his arms as he lifted out the equipment, but dismissed it as sheer adrenaline and excitement of being able to help the team. Dean set up the ropes as ambulances started to pour through the gates of the school, to take the injured to RPA hospital. Vince directed them around where they were setting up, and then turned his attention back on Dean. Heidi, Chase, Lachie and Jordon joined them around the side of the building. The girl, Alice, sat on the roof, knees tugged to her chest, hands unclenching and clenching periodically. Heidi pulled Dean aside.

"She might be in shock Dean. I think two of us should go up, just in case." Dean nodded, and set up another harness on the lines.

"You ready Vince?"

"Yep. Let's get her down." Vince took Heidi's safety line, and Chase took Dean's as the pair climbed up the wall to the roof. Dean made it up first, and stretched out a hand for Heidi. He hoisted her onto the roof.

"Rescue Portable one to Rescue Portable Six. Vince, we're up safely, assessing the situation now."

"Copy that. Give me a sit-rep when you can." Vince rubbed his temples as he felt a pounding headache take over, and the tightness in his chest hadn't really subsided since this morning in Michelle's office. His arms were still numb and tingling, but he now put that down to be a little unfit. He glanced back up to the roof where Dean and Heidi were, struggling to stay focussed.

"Alice? Alice Walker?"

"Alice? Alice Walker?" Heidi looked over at Dean.

"Did she just repeat what I said back to me?" She whispered. He nodded.

"Are you ok Alice?" Called Dean.

"No."

"Can you tell me what's wrong Alice?" Silence.

"You can go over Dean. I'll stay here. Take the extra harness with you." He nodded, and walked cautiously over the roof to where Alice was sitting. She shuffled away slightly, looking uncomfortable. Her arm and the side of her face were covered in thick, painful burns. He sat next to her, and tried to look at her face.

"Alice. I need to put this harness on you so we can get you down, ok?" Alice refused to look at his face, and showed no signs of having heard him. He put his hand under her chin and lifted it up. Bad move on Deans part. She screamed at him, bit his hand, and crawled away from him.

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Portable One. What's going on up there Deano?"

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Six. She bit me Vince, and she's retreated further away." Dean could hear sniggers from down below where the boys were watching.

"Alice? Alice, what are you doing up there?" Two young girls came running from the building opposite to the one Dean and Heidi were on.

"Alice?"

"Do you know Alice?" Jordon spoke to the two girls.

"Yes. My name's Kate Nichols and this is Laura Parker. What's going on?"

"We were told Alice was on the roof, but no-one was really sure why. We're just trying to get her down, which is proving a little difficult." Laura and Kate shared a look.

"What?" Jordon asked.

"Did you try to touch her?" Laura questioned.

"What do you mean?" Jordon looked bewildered by the query.

"Did one of your team members try to touch her?"

"Possibly, hang on a second. Rescue Portable Three to Rescue Portable One."

"What Jordon?"

"Did you try and touch the girl?"

"What do you mean?"

"Physical contact Dean. Did you touch her anywhere?"

"I put my hand under her chin to make her look at me. That was it. Why?"

"Just wait a second until I find out why. Over." Jordon directed his attention back to the girls.

"Someone touched her, didn't they?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, just under the chin, to make her look at him. What's that got to do with anything?" Laura sighed at him.

"She's autistic. She doesn't like to be touched."

"So then how are we going to get her down?"

"I don't know Mr. Smartypants, but your guy needs to stop going after her on the roof. She has no concept of fear, and won't realise the danger she's in. Get one of us up there, we can talk her down." Jordon looked at Kate, and then Laura, doubtful.

"Which one of you will go up?"

"Kate can. She's a little better with heights than I am." Laura had visibly paled at the thought of going up on the roof.

"Ok then. Vince! Have we got an extra harness there?"

"We do Jordon, why?"

"Send Kate here up to the roof. She can talk Alice down better than we can." Vince looked uncomfortable at the idea, but harnessed her up anyway.

"Rescue Portable Three to Rescue Portable One. Dean, you have to stop chasing Alice across the roof. Come back to the edge so you can give Kate a hand up."

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Three. Jordon, who's Kate?"

"A friend of Alice's and your only hope of getting Alice off the roof."

"Ok, meet you at the edge then." Lachie harnessed up Kate, checking and double-checking to make sure it was done up securely. He gave the thumbs up to Jordon, who began hoisting her up the side of the building. Dean's head popped over the side, and he reached out a hand to take Kate's outstretched one. He pulled her up.

"My name's Dean. I assume you're Kate?" She nodded.

"Where is she?"

"Over there, close to the edge."

"Do you have the harness?" Dean pulled it over to her.

"Does it go on the same way my one did?" Dean nodded.

"What do you have to do once she's hooked into it?"

"My brother Lachie will hoist her down. Let me know when you're ready for that."

"Ok. When she gets down, Laura will help her get unharnessed. She might freak out otherwise, and she's already pretty out of it." Dean nodded. It felt weird to be given orders rather than giving them himself. Kate crawled across the roof, being careful where she placed her hands and foot so as not to fall. Dean and Heidi waited with bated breath as Kate got nearer to Alice.

"Hi Alice. What are you doing up here?"

"I don't know Kate." Alice continued rocking on the spot, clenching her hands.

"Well, why don't we get down?" Alice nodded at Kate.

"Let me put this harness on for you, and then we can get you down. Is that ok?" Alice nodded again at Kate, and allowed her to secure the harness around her.

"Amazing. She's showing us up at all our jobs." Dean muttered to Heidi.

"Be grateful Dean. At least she didn't bite you twice." Heidi giggled. Kate called over to Dean.

"Dean? We're secured." He nodded at her, and leant over the edge.

"Ok Lachie, she's coming towards you now. Keep her steady." Lachie nodded at Dean. He gave the thumbs up to Kate, who walked Alice over to the edge of the roof, speaking soothingly and quietly to her the whole time. She went over the edge quietly, and Laura met her at the bottom. Two ambulance officers met Alice and Laura, and guided her gently away so they could assess her burns and any other injuries. Jordon got Kate down, and after a few minutes of fighting with the harness, released her. She went over to the student centre where Laura and Kate were.

"Alright Chasie. I'm coming down."

"Yeah, righto then." Chase belayed his brother down the side of the building easily. Dean unhooked himself and called up to Heidi.

"Alright Heidi, your turn."

"Ok! Are you ready Vince?" Heidi called down.

"Yeah Heidi-ho." He sounded breathless. Dean and Lachie glanced at him.

"Alright. Here I come." Heidi lowered herself over the edge. Vince groaned and let go of the rope, reaching for his chest, and Heidi fell, cartwheeling down the side of the building. Vince stumbled to the wall and slumped to the ground. Heidi's legs hit the metal handrail hard, and the force flipped her around, until her head made contact with the concrete path with a sickening crack. The team split in two: Dean and Lachie headed straight for Vince, and Jordan and Chase attended to the unconscious Heidi. Michelle came running around the corner to see her team in distress.

"Dean, what's going on?" He waved her away.

"Vince. Speak to me Vince, come on." Vince just gasped for air, clutching his chest.

"Michelle, call us a few ambulances. We're going to need them." Michelle nodded, and dialled triple zero.

"Vince, we're going to give you some oxygen, and hook you up to a monitor, ok?" Vince nodded, still trying to get some decent air. Lachie placed an oxygen mask over Vince's face, whilst Dean put a monitor on him. Vince drooped forward.

"Stay with me Vince." He pulled himself up again, but failed to stay upright. He fell to the side, limp. Dean swore.

"Michelle, how far away is that ambulance?"

"Two minutes, maybe more Dean." Dean began ripping open Vince's shirt, and pushed him down into a horizontal position.

"Lachie, grab the defibrillator. He's gone into cardiac arrest!" Dean started chest compressions, hoping that his unit co-ordinator wouldn't die on him now.

"Come on Vince! Don't die on me now."

* * *

 

"Heidi?" Chase checked her vitals, and hooked a monitor up to her.

"Her vitals are good."

"Heidi, you've got to wake up. Come on." Jordan checked her over.

"I'm going to need a brace for her neck, and splints for her legs. We'll patch her up until the ambo's get here." Chase jumped up and sprinted for the patrol, and pulled out his medi-kit.

"Michelle, can you grab a spine board please? I'm not sure if she's done any damage, but better to be safe than sorry." Michelle nodded, and returned a few minutes later, spine board in tow.

"Alright Chase, are you ready?"

"Just let me secure this brace around her neck, and then we can move her. I'll splint her legs after that." Chase fiddled with the cervical collar for a few more seconds.

"Done."

"On three Chase. Ready? 1… 2… 3." Both boys shifted her over onto the spine board. The monitors beeped as they lay her back down again.

"Chase, what's going on?"

"She's not getting any oxygen. She's not breathing!" Chase scrambled for an oxygen mask, and placed it over Heidi's nose and mouth. Jordan checked over Heidi's chest, and looked up at Chase.

"Chase, I think she's got a tension pneumothorax." Chase dug through his medi-kit, looking for a syringe. He found one and passed it to Jordan, who pulled out the plunger. He located the second and third ribs, and pushed the needle into the intercostal space. A hissing sound from the needle meant that it had reached its target. Heidi started breathing on her own, and the alarms sounding from the monitor ceased. Chase and Jordan grinned at each other.

"Chase, can you splint up her legs? I'll monitor her breathing."

"Sure. You know, if you kiss her, she might wake up?" Chase laughed, and began the task of splinting up Heidi.

"Come off it Chase. Geez." Jordan looked up to Michelle, who was hovering over him.

"Michelle, how's Vince going?"

"They've got a pulse, and he's breathing, but he's not looking good. We're just waiting on the ambulance."

"Have you rung Sam Marchello yet?"

"No, I hadn't thought to." Michelle was scattered. Vince was her rock when it came to decisions, and stood by her every move. Now she was faced with the fear of losing her station manager, and she didn't know what to do. Chase sat next to Heidi's head, stroking her fiery red hair, hoping she'd wake up.

"Chase, can you take over monitoring Heidi? I'm just going to talk to Michelle." Chase nodded, and Jordan stood up, brushing himself down.

"Michelle, you need to sit down. You've gone really pale." Jordan led her over to a nearby bench.

"I'll ring Sam and let him know what's happening. Can you wait for the ambulances, and go with Vince?" Michelle nodded. It was nice that someone was taking charge. Usually Dean would, but he was little pre-occupied keeping Vince alive.

"Then I want you to stay at the hospital with Vince and Heidi, and let us know what's going on. Keep us updated, ok?"

"Ok." Michelle's voice was almost a whisper. A blaring siren alerted them to the fact that the ambo's were here, and they could take over. Jordan gave Michelle one last hug.

"Look after them, ok?" She nodded, and headed over to the two ambulance crews that had arrived. Dean and Lachie Gallagher sat back and leant against the brick wall as Vince's unconscious body was loaded onto a gurney, and into the back of an ambulance. Michelle instructed the crews to take both Heidi and Vince to the same hospital, and climbed into Vince's ambulance. She stuck her head out the window as the other crew loaded Heidi into their ambulance.

"Jordan, don't forget to call Sam!" The ambulances pulled out of the carpark, and with sirens and lights, headed off to RPA hospital. Jordan fished out his phone, and dialled Sam Marchello.

"Hello?"

"Sam? It's Jordan. Something's happened to your Dad."

"Is he ok? What's wrong?"

"He had a heart attack Sam, and they've taken him to RPA. Michelle went with him in the ambulance."

"What? Is he gonna be alright?"

"I'm not sure at the moment Sam. Dean and Lachie revived him, but he wasn't looking good."

"I'm heading over there now."

"Ok. If you get stuck or need anything, ring Michelle or myself, ok?"

"Yeah, ok. Thanks Jordan." He hung up. Dean broke the silence.

"Alright team, good effort today, but we still have four students missing, and we need to find them." Everyone nodded their agreement.

"So Jordan and Chase are Team Delta, Lachie and myself are Team Alpha. We'll start at the theatre, or what's left of it, and fan out from there. Are you ready?" A chorus of replies sounded back at Dean. They hoisted their medi-kit's up on their shoulders, and headed over to the smouldering theatre.

"Did Michelle call the firies yet?"

"Don't think she did Lachie; Vince would have usually done it. I guess I'll have to do it. Jake Hudson will have a field day." Dean fumbled at his pocket, and pulled his phone out. He punched in Jake's number viciously.

"Dean mate, what's up? You need me to rescue you now?"

"Shut-up Jake. We're at a university in Drummoyne, they've had some sort of explosion. The building's still smoking, and we need you to check it out first before we go in."

"Why didn't Vince or Michelle ring?"

"Vince is out of commission at the moment, and Michelle's a little pre-occupied." Dean didn't feel like going into details.

"Look, are you coming over or not?"

"We're almost there Dean. We got the call five minutes ago. Hold your horses." Dean hung up, and turned back to what was left of his own team.

"We've got to wait until the fire crews get here, so they can check the building. We don't need any more of it collapsing whilst we're in there." Chase sighed.

"Man, I hate it when we have to rely on Hudson."

"I know Chase, but any of you get injured, I think Michelle might just kill me."

"Besides Chasie, Dad would be devastated if he lost his precious Chase. At least he'd get his spare room back!" Lachie laughed. Chase punched him in the shoulder, and Lachie ruffled his hair. They could hear the piercing sirens as they came closer, and soon, Jake and his crew were piling out of their fire truck.

"Geez Dean, what happened?"

"We have no idea. Sort of hoping you could tell us, you know?"

"Sure Gallagher." Jake slapped Dean on the back, and motioned for his team to begin their assessment. They scattered quickly.

"So where's the beautiful Lara Knight on a day like this?" Dean shrugged Jake's hand off his shoulder.

"She left Rescue Jake. Several months ago." Jake looked downcast.

"Oh." Jake's team came back and gave him an assessment on the building.

"Alright. You're ok to go inside the building, but it's not structurally sound. Check with us before you move something." Dean nodded.

"A firie to each team sound ok to you?"

"As long as I'm on your team Gallagher." Jake assigned one of his fellow members to Jordan and Chase's team, and the two groups headed to the front of the building to begin a sweep.

"Do we know if anyone was actually in here when this happened?"

"Dunno Chase, it looks pretty shredded though. All the light supports and beams have come down, and it looks a mess. Anyone would have to be incredibly lucky to survive this." Jordan shone his flashlight around the smoke-filled room. A raspy voice called out.

"Hello?" Dean motioned for them all to be quiet.

"Hello, this is Rescue Special Operations. Who are you?" A gasping breath sounded out from under the rubble.

"Alayna…"

"She's one of ours! Jordan, Chase, see if you can get to her. Alayna, it's ok, we're coming to get you." Silence. Then another raspy breath.

"Ok." The team moved into action.

"Lachie, can you run out to the patrol and grab the thermal imaging camera?"

"No need mate, the truck's closer. Use ours." Jake dashed outside to his truck, and returned moments later, thermal imager in hand.

"There's still some residual heat here from the explosion, but it should be able to detect differences in heat." Chase appeared before they could even use the camera.

"Oi, Dean! We found her. She's trapped under some of the metal light supports, and some roofing." Dean scrambled to get to Chase, Jake hot on his heels. Jordan was crouched down near Alayna's head.

"How's she doing Jordan?" Dean crouched down near the girls head.

"She's ok. BP's a bit low, pulse is rapid. Her leg is trapped under one of the beams, and it's cutting off circulation. Possible crush injury. She's got a cut on her forehead, but it looks superficial. Possible concussion."

"Thanks Jordan. How are you doing Alayna?" The tears streamed down the poor girls face.

"Hey, don't cry. We'll get you out of here. Chase, Jordan, you two alright to get her out? Lachie, Jake and myself will keep searching."

"Yeah, we'll be fine."

"There was no-one else in here except for me," Alayna wheezed.

"Thanks Alayna. Stay in radio contact you two."

"Yeah Dean, righto." Dean and Lachie stood up, and exited the smoky theatre, Jake in pursuit.

"Ok, that leaves us with three more students to find and no idea where to start."

"What departments are they from?" Asked Jake.

"Graphic design and drama. Why?"

"Best place to start would be the departments they are supposed to be in." Dean's radio crackled.

"Team Delta to Team Alpha, you there Dean?"

"Yeah Chase, what's up?"

"We could do with another pair of hands. Can you spare Lachie or Jake?"

"I'll go Gallagher. I can better monitor the fire situation whilst I'm there." Dean nodded, and spoke into his radio.

"Yeah Chase, Jake's on his way to you now. Over." Lachie and Dean jogged their way over to the graphic's department.

"It doesn't look like anything's wrong," commented Lachie. A flash, and the sound of exploding windows proved him wrong very quickly.

"Shit. Team Alpha to Team Delta, Chase, we need Jake back now."

"What's up?"

"We've just had another building explode."

"Ok, Jake's travelling now. Over." Jake came flying out of the theatre and skidded to a halt in front of Lachie and Dean.

"I leave you alone for one minute Gallagher, and another building goes. Well done." Screams suddenly filled the air around them.

"They're coming from over there!" Jake and Dean sprinted towards the graphic design building which had just caught fire.

"Hello? Hello? This is Rescue Special Operations, anyone in there?"

"Yes, please help us!"

"Tell me your name, we're working to get you out."

"My name's Bree, my boyfriend Jack hit his head."

"Are you ok Bree? Are you injured?"

"I don't think so. I'm just trapped. Hurry up and get me out of here!" Jake called over his own radio for back-up crews to meet him as soon as possible.

"We need to get her out Jake."

"I know mate, I'm working on it. Wait, where'd your brother go?"

"Lachie!" Lachie was sprinting towards the burning building, and crashed through the smoking door. His eyes watered as the acrid smoke filled his lungs. He started coughing.

"Bree. Bree!"

"Over here." He followed the sound of her voice to a bank of computers.

"Bree?"

"I'm trapped under a filing cabinet. I'll be fine, you have to get Jack out!" Lachie hesitated, indecision filling his mind, then shuffled over to Jack's limp form and lifted him up.

"I'll be back for you in a minute Bree."

"Lachie!" Dean paced the car-park, knowing he couldn't follow his brother in, but wishing he could. He watched the doorway, hoping his middle brother was ok. As Lachie's silhouette appeared in the doorway, Dean rushed forward, and Lachie dumped Jack into his arms.

"This is Jack. I've got to go back for the girl." He coughed and tried to suck in more air.

"That's a negative Lachie. It's too dangerous."

"Danger is my middle name, Dean." He ran back into the building, wheezing.

"Geez Lachie!"

"Team Delta to Team Alpha, Dean, we're going to need an ambulance, and soon. Alayna needs to be treated at a hospital as soon as possible."  
"Copy that Chase. I'll organise it now, over." Dean pulled out his mobile, and dialled Michelle.

"Michelle LeTourneau speaking. Dean, what's going on?"

"We need ambulance crews and a surgery team on standby. We found Alayna Matthews trapped in the theatre, and she's got a possible crush injury. We've found Bree Anderson and Jack Harris in the graphic design building, but we've yet to find Jesse Davis."

"Ok, I'll organise the ambo's and have the surgical team on standby."

"How's Vince and Heidi?"

"They're ok. Vince has been admitted for some more tests. They think he's been having small heart-attacks all day, and they want to monitor his condition. Sam met up with me at the hospital. As for Heidi, she's still unconscious, and they're worried about a bleed to the brain, and a possible skull fracture. Her legs are fine, just some sever bruising, probably some micro-fractures. She'll heal." Michelle sounded tired to Dean.

"Alright. Thanks Michelle." As an ambulance pulled up, Dean's worry over Lachie still being inside a burning building increased. Jordan and Chase moved Alayna on a spine board into the ambulance, and then came over to help Dean with Jack. Jordan assessed him.

"Looks like a concussion, possible smoke inhalation. Give him some oxygen, and he should be right until the ambo's can take him."

"Dean, where's Lachie?" Asked Chase.

"Inside the building."

"What? You let him go in there?"

"It's not like I let him Chase. He just ran in." Lachie's frame filled the doorway as they spoke, Bree Anderson cradled in his arms. Chase leapt up and ran towards him. Lachie staggered out, pushed Bree into Chase's arms, and then collapsed face-down in the middle of the carpark.

"Lachie! Lachie!" Dean rolled Lachie onto his back, and checked his breathing. Nothing.

"Lachie, you've got to breathe, come on! Dammit Lachie, don't give up on me now. Breathe!" Dean started CPR on his brother, praying that it would work. The ambulance crews showed up for Bree and Jack, and took them away to RPA. Jake Hudson pulled out his own mobile, and dialled triple-zero. They would need an ambulance for Lachie, and he was pretty sure neither of the Gallagher's nor Jordan would think to arrange that. Jordan started the compressions on Lachie, counting under his breath. Chase wrung his hands in despair. He didn't want to lose his brother, not now.

"Come on Lachie, you can do it!" Nothing. Then, as Jordan pulled his hands away, Lachie's chest rose on its own. Dean grabbed an oxygen mask, and placed it over Lachie's head. He was still unconscious, but was starting to come around.

"What? What's going on?" His voice was muffled by the mask.

"Just lay there Lachie. Relax. You collapsed after rescuing Bree from the building, and you've got mild smoke inhalation. The ambos will pick you up in about five minutes." Lachie ripped the mask off his face.

"No. I don't want to go." Dean and Chase looked incredulous.

"You're refusing treatment?"

"Yep." He struggled to stand, Jordan supporting him.

"We still have one kid to find. Let's find him, get out of here, and then maybe I'll consider some kind of medical treatment." Dean and Chase looked at each other. It wasn't ideal, but they needed to find Jesse, and then get of there so the police and fire crews could clean up the damage.

"Ok. You stay with me though, so I can keep an eye on you. Chase, Jordan. We're going to head over and check the drama department. Can you two check the library?"

"Sure Dean." Chase glared at Lachie, who shrugged his shoulders. He had no intention of getting medical treatment, but he had to say something to convince his two brothers to leave him alone. The two teams separated, Jake in tow with Dean and Lachie.

"Jesse. Jesse Davis."

"Can you hear me? We're with Rescue Special Operations." Dean and Lachie looked at each other. No sound. Then out of the corner of his eye, Dean noticed someone huddled in the corner. He pointed them out to Lachie. He nodded, and started to circle around, blocking all exits.

"Jesse?"

"Go away."

"Jesse, it's ok, we're here to get you out."

"Team Delta to Team Alpha, Dean, there's no-one here in the library. Just a bunch of books."

"Copy that Team Alpha. I think we found Jesse in the drama department. Do you want to meet us up here?" Lachie spoke quietly into his radio, not wanting to frighten the already spooked boy.

"Jesse, it's ok. We got every-one out. They'll be fine, now we need to get you out so we can treat you." Jesse nodded, then tried to bolt for the stairwell. Lachie tackled him to the ground.

"Listen mate. We just want to treat you. Let us treat you, and you can go, whatever you want to do." Jesse stopped struggling and Lachie released him. They led him down the stairs outside, where Chase and Jordan met them. Jesse tensed in Dean's grip.

"Chill mate. They're friends. A part of the team." Jesse relaxed. Jordan and Chase led Jesse over to a bench outside the student centre, and checked him over.

"He's only got a superficial laceration on his head. Possible concussion, but I can't be sure."

"I don't want to go in an ambulance." Chase looked at Jordan.

"What is with people and ambulances today?" Jordan shrugged.

"You don't want to go, then you need to sign a release form say that you refused treatment."

"Yeah, whatever. Hurry up and give it to me so I can go." Chase and Jordan exchanged glances, then handed Jesse the necessary paperwork so he could be released. After a few minutes, he handed it back to them signed and completed. They nodded at him, and he quickly left.

"Come on guys, let's pack up." Jake slapped Dean on the back.

"Nice working with you again Gallagher. I've got to clean up the mess that some bastards left me with." Dean grinned, and put his hand on Jake's back.

"Have fun mate." Jake laughed, and jogged off towards his truck.

"Lachie, you're with me. We're heading straight to the hospital. Jordan, you take the other patrol and Chase, you take Vince's truck."

"Mate, I'm fine. Take Jordan with you to the hospital, I'll take the patrol."

"You sure Lachie?"

"Yeah mate, I'm fine. I'll see you back at HQ." Lachie waved away Dean's concerns. Chase finished loading up the second patrol, and jumped into Vince's truck.

"See you back at HQ Lachie!" Chase sped out of the carpark.

"Yeah, yeah," muttered Lachie under his breath, as he turned the patrol out of the gates.

* * *

**RPA Hospital:**

"Michelle, what's going on?" Jordan charged into the ICU. Michelle grabbed him around the tops of his arms.

"Calm down Jordan. She's not regained consciousness yet. They're still trying to check her over. She hasn't got a bleed on the brain, which is good news. They're just monitoring her now, and they'll check her mental status when she wakes up. She just needs time to heal Jordan." He nodded.

"Can I still go in there?"

"Of course Jordan." Dean stayed outside with Michelle.

"How's Vince?"

"He's alright now. Feeling a little stupid because of what happened, but otherwise. His heart's doing better too, but he's on desk work. No more joining you out on rescues anymore, it's too dangerous." Dean nodded.

"I have to agree with you there Michelle. He's fine co-ordinating, but if there's the possibility this could happen again, then we can't have him doing active duties." A familiar voice interrupted their conversation.

"Dean?" Dean turned around to see Lara Knight standing in the hall.

"Lara! What are you doing here?" He embraced her lightly.

"I heard that Heidi was in hospital. I was going to come in and find out why."

"From who? Wait… Jake Hudson." She nodded.

"So why are you all here? Other than Heidi of course."

"Vince is in here too." Lara gasped.

"What happened?"

"He was assisting us at a rescue out at Drummoyne, and had a heart attack.

"Is he alright?"

"He's alright now, but he was belaying Heidi down a wall when it happened. He let go of her rope, and she cracked her head on the concrete, and bruised her shins." Lara looked shocked.

"Is she awake yet?" Asked Lara.

"No. Vince is, if you feel like going up and convincing him that he's not as stupid as he thinks he is," answered Michelle. Lara nodded, and left.

"Is there any…?"

"No Michelle." Dean's phone jingled in his pocket. He pulled it out, and read the caller ID: Chase.

"Yeah, what's up Chase?" Dean sounded annoyed

"Is Lachie with you?"

"No Chase. He was supposed to be there with you at HQ."

"Yeah, well, he's not."

"Is the patrol there?"

"Nope. Just Vince's truck." Dean pondered this, then heard a phone ringing in the background.

"Chase, what's that?"

"It's Vince's desk phone."

"Answer it. It might be a rescue."

"Alright! Keep your pants on; I'll be back in few minutes." Chase put his mobile on his desk and reached for Vince's phone.

"Hello, Rescue Special Ops." Chase answered the phone as professionally as he could.

"What?"

"Where?"

"Ok, thank you." Chase hung up and sat heavily in the office chair. He picked up his mobile.

"Dean, I know where Lachie is."

"Where?"

"He crashed the patrol into a telegraph pole. Someone just called it in to us."

"Ok Chase. Log it in the books and take the Rescue truck. I'll meet you there." Dean almost dropped his phone; his hands were shaking so much. Michelle looked at him.

"What's up Dean?"

"Lachie's been in an accident." She gasped, just as Lara came out of the elevator.

"Vince is asl… What's going on guys?" She asked, noting their concerned faces.

"Lachie's been in an accident. Chase and I are about to head out there now, Jordan will stay here with Heidi." Dean answered, heading towards the lift.

"Could you use a hand?" He turned back.

"Are you offering?" She smiled.

"Maybe."

"Come on then."

* * *

**North Shore Sydney:**

With blaring sirens, Dean and Lara sped towards the North Shore. Chase had messaged Dean the details, and would meet him there.

"There, I see it!" Lara called. Dean slammed on the brakes, and jumped out of the patrol, dashing towards Lachie. Lara got out, and started to assess the situation.

"Lachie! Lachie!" The car was smoking slightly, steam pouring from the engine bay. The front window was smashed, and the front of the car was crumpled like a tin can. Chase pulled up minutes later. He sprinted for the smashed patrol as well; concern for his brother the only force driving him faster. Lara took control, catching Chase before he got to Lachie.

"Chase. We need the combi-tool to get the driver door off and the medi-kits. Can you grab them, and bring them over. Dean, can you help Chase? Set up a perimeter until the police get here."

"But Lach…"

"No buts. Just do it!" Lara took charge of the situation, knowing the boys were a little stressed over what was happening. She started to assess Lachie. Chase brought over a medi-kit for her, then set about clearing the area.

"Lachie. Can you hear me mate?" He stirred in the passenger seat. Lara pulled out the monitor, and attached the various wires to him.

"Wha.. happened?"

"You were in a bit of an accident. Do you remember your full name?" She put an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth.

"Lachie… Lachie Gallagher." He started to panic a little when he realised he was trapped. "Shh Lachie. It's alright. Take a deep breath. Do you remember what happened?"

"I was driving, then everything blacked out. Next thing I know, you're here, and I've done some damage to the patrol."

"Ok, good. Can you feel your legs and arms?" He started to nod.

"Don't nod! Don't move your head. Let me put a collar on you first."

"Alright." She fastened a collar around his neck, making sure it was secure.

"Do you remember anything else today?"

"It's all a bit fuzzy." He started to slur his words.

"Lachie? You alright?"

"Yea… Jus' tire…"

"Don't go to sleep on me. Stay awake." She leant away from Lachie and yelled at Chase.

"Chase, hurry up with the combi-tool. We've got to get him out of here now." Chase sped over with the combi-tool.

"Lar… don' leav…"

"I'm not leaving Lachie. I'm right here." Chase found purchase in the door frame, and switched the combi-tool on, wrenching the door from the frame. As he tore it off, Lachie dropped unconscious, monitors beeping. Chase pulled the door off and placed it to the side.

"Lara!" She pushed Chase aside.

"No pulse." She checked his airways.

"Not breathing either. Dean!"

"What?"

"Grab the defib, he's in cardiac arrest." Dean was beside Lara in seconds, and placed the defibrillator next to her.

"Take over the compressions. I'll set-up the defib." As Lara tore the packaging off the pads, her phone rang. It was Michelle. Lara pressed it to her ear, holding it up with her shoulder.

"Lara, what's going on?"

"I'm a little busy Michelle."

"Put me on speaker then." Lara put the phone down, and pressed speakerphone.

"Dean, Chase? Sit-rep." Michelle's voice sounded tinny through the phone speakers. Chase answered her.

"Lachie's gone into cardiac arrest. We're trying to revive him." Michelle was quiet.

"Ready?"

"Clear!"

"Shocking!" Called Lara. Lachie's body tensed as the shock pulsed through him, and then relaxed.

"I've got a pulse!" A wave of relief flowed through the trio attending Lachie, and an ambulance pulled up beside them. As they transferred over, Lara picked up her phone, and switched off the speaker, putting it back up against her ear.

"So Michelle, I've been thinking about coming back to Rescue."

* * *

 

**RPA Hospital:**

Jordan sat next to Heidi's bed, holding her hand. His head was resting on her bed, and his eyes were closed as he tried to catch a few z's before Heidi woke up. Michelle stuck her head in the room.

"Jordan, I'm heading off now with Sam. He'll drop me off at HQ, and I'll finish some paperwork. You happy to stay with Heidi?"

"Yeah Michelle. I'll be right here."

"Ring me when she wakes up, ok?" Jordan nodded. Michelle left the room, only to run into Dean.

"Dean! How's Lachie?"

"He's drowsy, and a little out of it. They're checking him over now, and he'll probably be admitted at least overnight." Michelle nodded.

"How's Heidi?"

"Still out to it. Jordan will stay with her tonight, and he'll keep us updated. Vince will stay in overnight, and he'll be discharged in the morning." Dean shook his head.

"It's been a crazy day today."

"It has. I'll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early." Michelle exited the room, and Dean headed back down to Emergency, where they were trying to stabilise Lachie.

"Babe." Her voice was raspy through the oxygen mask. She squeezed Jordan's hand.

"Hey. How you doing?" She nodded, and then grimaced as a shaft of pain seared through her head.

"What happened?" He rubbed her hand as he relayed back the events of the day.

"Vince had a heart attack, and let go of your safety rope. Your shins hit the handrail, and that caused you to flip around and crack your head on the concrete. You have a concussion, and had a tension pneumothorax whilst we were treating you."

"Now I know why I feel so crap." He nodded.

"Is Vince ok? Please tell me he's alright."

"Yeah Heidi, he's fine. He's upstairs in the cardiac ward."

"Can I see him?"

"You need to stay here and rest Heidi." He brushed back her fringe, and kissed her on the forehead.

"I'll be back in a minute. I've just got to ring Michelle and let her know you're awake." Heidi nodded, regretting the movement almost instantly. He left the room, leaving Heidi to contemplate the day's events.

"Heidi-Ho!" A nurse pushed Vince into the room in a wheelchair.

"Vince! You're ok." He nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How are you doing?"

"I'm ok, a little battered and bruised. I've got a corker of a headache though, and my shins feel like they've seen better days. Otherwise, I'm pretty good." Vince looked upset.

"What's wrong Vince?"

"I'm so sorry Heidi. I didn't mean to let go of the rope. I'm so sorry." The tears streamed down Vince's face. Heidi was like a daughter to him, and he felt dreadful over what had happened. Heidi stretched over and took his hand.

"Vince." He looked up at her.

"It's alright. You're safe, I'm safe. That's all that matters." He nodded.

"I just… I feel terrible Heidi."

"Don't be silly Vince. I'll be fine. You need to get better now, so you can take control of us all again." He smiled and looked her in the eyes.

"You get better now Heidi-Ho. We need you back as soon as possible." Jordan came back into the room.

"Hey Vince. How are you going?"

"Good thanks mate. Hearts feeling a little better, and if I have it my way, I'll be leaving this joint tomorrow. Might even have Michelle come pick me up." The same nurse who brought Vince in entered the room, and wheeled him back out. He called back to Heidi and Jordan.

"Although, with the five-star treatment I'm getting in here, I might never leave." Heidi and Jordan could hear him chuckling as he was wheeled down the corridor.

"Michelle says hi, and she hopes you're feeling better soon. I ran into a nurse outside, and she's just told the doctor you're awake. He'll be in to check on you soon."

"Thanks babe." He kissed her hand.

"I was worried about you today. I could have lost you."

"You'll never lose me sweetheart. I'm like gum on a shoe Jordan, I'm hard to get rid of!" They both laughed at that.

* * *

The next morning, Michelle drove to RPA hospital to pick up Vince. It was a Tuesday, and she would have asked Sam, but he was in the middle of his HSC, and he needed to be at school.

"Michelle! Get me out of here." She grinned. Vince was back. She signed his papers, and led him out to the car. He jumped into the passenger side, and buckled himself up.

"A little keen are we Vince?"

"I'm just desperate to get out of here, and get back to work." She laughed.

"You're restricted to light duties at the moment Vince. No more rescues for you for a while." He nodded, sombre.

"So how's the rest of my team?"

"Your team? Our team more like." Vince chuckled.

"Yeah yeah. How is everyone?"

"Dean, Lara, Chase and Jordan are all fine. They'll be in this morning."

"What about Lachie?"

"He smashed up one of your patrols yesterday, after finishing the rescue at Drummoyne."

"Is he alright?"

"Just complications from smoke inhalation. They'll release him later today. Heidi won't be released until tomorrow, but if she had it her way, she'd leave now." Michelle giggled as they pulled into HQ. Dean met them outside.

"Vince mate, good to see you back."

"Yeah Deano, couldn't leave you in charge too long, who knows what you would have done to the place!" They laughed. Jordan pulled up in the patrol, Heidi in the passenger seat. Dean called out to her.

"Heidi? What are you doing back? You weren't supposed to be released until tomorrow."

"Yeah, I convinced them I'm fine. Besides, I've got all you guys here. You can watch me if something goes wrong."

"Right then, light duties for you too then Heidi. Sorry." Michelle didn't look apologetic, but she was happy to have Heidi back. Lara popped her head downstairs, freshly pressed Rescue uniform on her.

"Dean, Lachie needs someone to pick him up. Doctors gave him the all clear to leave an hour ago."

"Yeah, righto then."

"Lara? When did you come back?" Heidi felt a little behind on current events.

"Yesterday after I saved Lachie from a car accident. I realised that Rescue is my true family, and I could never leave you guys."

"Aww, a sentimental moment," came Chase's voice from inside the garage.

"Shut-up Chase!" A chorus of voices told him.

"Come on team, back to work." As they clattered up the stairs to the office area, Vince's phone rang. He answered it slightly out of breath.

"Hello?"

"What?"

"Again?"

"Right, we'll be there in ten minutes." He put the phone down, and looked at his team.

"You'll never believe this."

"What?" Asked Lara.

"Same place as yesterday, another explosion. Same girl on the roof, different building. People missing again. You guys head off, and I'll contact Dean and let him know."

"Vince, please let me go." Heidi begged him. The team paused on the stairs.

"Heidi. You know I can't let you go."

"Come on Vince, I'll look out for her." Heidi threw a grateful glance at Jordan, and mouthed her thanks. Vince sighed.

"Alright. Any sign of altered mentals status, you sit her out straight away. You hear me."

"Thanks Vince!" Heidi gave him a quick hug.

"Ok then, Chase and Lara take the last patrol, Heidi and Jordan, take the truck. I'll monitor you guys from here, and organise the firies and the police. Go, get out of here." Michelle appeared from the bathroom.

"What's going on?"

"Explosion, same place as yesterday. This doesn't feel like a coincidence." Michelle nodded.

"I know it's hard Vince, but you need to stay here." Vince sighed.

"I know, but I'm itching to be out there."

"Well, whilst I have you held captive, you can fill out yesterday's incident report." Michelle dumped a stack of forms on his desk. Vince whined.

"Do I have to?"

"You know as well as I do. If I'm not on your back about this you'll never get them done. And Head Office will be the ones breathing down my neck."

* * *

**Drummoyne:**

"Alright, same deal as yesterday." Dean had arrived, Lachie in the patrol with him.

"The main administration has been hit, and we have casualties inside. There's someone on the roof again."

"It's Alice Walker. Same girl as yesterday." Chase sounded shocked.

"Yeah Chase. And we have a student missing again."

"No prizes for guessing who." Heidi muttered.

"Yep. It's Jesse Davis again."

"Vince sent us over a list of people we need to find. Lara, Lachie and Chase, can you get the girl down. Heidi and Jordan, we need to get in and assess the people inside. Almost everybody has been evacuated, and we need to confirm that the list is correct." The two teams nodded, and then split up.

"I have this feeling of déjà vu," said Lachie as he pulled harnesses and ropes out of the car.

"Hey Lara. Shottie not going up there. You can get her down."

"Why? What's the big secret?" The boys sniggered.

"Nothing," they answered in unison. Lara shook her head, and spoke into her radio.

"Rescue Portable Two to Rescue Portable One. Dean, what's the go with this chick up on the roof?"

"She's autistic Lara. The whole exercise is to see if you can convince her to get off the roof. She bit me yesterday, now you can deal with her."

"Dean, that's ridiculous!"

"It's not Lara. Consider it your initiation back into the team." Lara scowled, and let go of her radio.

"How the hell am I supposed to get her down from there?"

"Dunno Lara, but you better get her down. It looks like she's pretty injured," said Lachie, feeding the ropes through, and tightening Lara's harness.

"Ready to go Lara?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." Lara walked up to the wall, and started climbing, Lachie belaying her rope as she went.

Meanwhile in the administration building, Dean, Jordan and Heidi were assessing the situation. Desks were smouldering gently, filing cabinets had been tipped over, and thick smoke filled the room.

"Man, this looks just like yesterday in the graphic design department. What is it with this university and fire?" Jordan asked.

"Dunno, but we need to get them out."

"Agreed."

"Help. Please help me!" A voice came from the back office. Dean raced in to find a woman trapped under her desk, impaled in the leg by a wooden post. Dean slid to the floor.

"I can't get out, please. Help me," she begged. Dean took charge.

"Jordan, we're going to need a saw. We won't take the post out, but we'll have to cut it down to a manageable size before we move her." Jordan dashed out of the room. Dean handed her a green whistle.

"Suck on this. It'll help with the pain for a while."

"Dean, I need some extra oxygen. Can you spare some?"

"Yeah Heidi, what's up?"

"I've got an asthmatic in here. He's trapped under a filing cabinet, and he's struggling to breathe. We can't find his meds in here to help him." Dean spoke to the woman he was attending.

"I'll be back in a second. Don't go anywhere." She nodded. Dean crept out into the outer office, where Heidi was attending another man. He recognised him from yesterday.

"Heidi, this is James McAndrews. He's the director here." He handed her the oxygen tank.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Three. Jordan, can you bring a combi-tool and some air-bags?" The radio crackled static.

"Jordan? Do you copy?" Nothing. Silence rent the air.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Four, Chase, can you grab us some tools from the patrol? We need a combi-tool and some air-bags."

"Sorry Dean, we're a little pre-occupied at the moment. We've nearly got Alice down. She's pretty banged up." Dean punched the wall.

"Heidi, I need to run out and grab some tools. I'll be back in five minutes."

"Okay Dean. Hurry!" Dean sprinted out to the patrol, cursing Jordan's name as he ran. He grabbed the needed tools from the truck, and flew back inside.

"Alright, let's get Mr McAndrews out and into some fresh air and then we can attend to the woman in the back." Heidi nodded.

"Mr McAndrews, we're going to get you out. It'll be alright." James nodded and coughed through his oxygen mask.

"Dean, hurry up."

"Yeah, I'm getting there Heidi." As they extricated their patient, they heard the other woman moaning in pain.

"Are you right with him Dean?"

"Yeah, I'll get him out. You go and attend her. Take the saw with you, make sure you compress her leg tight." Heidi nodded, and moved into the next room.

"Ma'am, are you alright?"

"Just get me out of here!"

"Sheesh. Okay, I'm working on it." Heidi wrapped a compression bandage above the wound, to restrict the blood flow. She hoisted up the saw, and started to shorten the post. Dean was working in the other room, freeing Mr McAndrews from his position under the filing cabinet. As he got him free and helped him up, someone emerged from the shadows.

"Jesse?" He pulled a knife from his cargo pants.

"I'll take him from here."

"Jesse, whatever's happened, you don't need to do this."

"You don't know anything!" He screamed, waving the knife around.

"Jesse. Calm down.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Jesse yelled. He lunged forward and grabbed James. Dean punched Jesse in the face. Jesse retaliated, slashing the knife across Dean's arm. The cut was deep, and was bleeding quickly. He compressed it with his arm, sliding down the office wall.

"Don't tell anybody I was here," spat Jesse.

"Or your other rescue boy doesn't survive."

"Dean. Dean?" Heidi called out from the other room.

"Heidi, I need your help," Dean rasped. Heidi entered the room.

"What happened?" She said as she bent down in front of him.

"Jesse got to me." She gasped, was unsettled for a moment, and then her Rescue training took over.

"Let me strap your arm, and we'll get you out of here. I'll get Lachie to help me get the woman out." Dean grunted as Heidi put more pressure on the wound. She bandaged it tight, and then helped him get to his feet. He stepped back, a wave of dizziness taking over him.

"Woah. Steady there Dean." She helped him outside.

"Dean! What happened?" Chase, Lachie and Lara were just packing up the ropes from earlier, and Chase dashed over to help Heidi with Dean. Heidi spoke.

"Jesse Davis. He's behind all of this. He's taken James McAndrews at knifepoint." Lara ran over, dropping the ropes she was packing up on the ground.

"Jesse. Who's Jesse?" She said breathlessly.

"A student we rescued yesterday. We should have known something was off when we rescued him." Chase filled her in.

"Lara, can you help with Dean? Lachie, I have a woman trapped inside, and I need help getting her out."

"Sure thing Heidi." Heidi and Lachie headed back inside the smoky building.

"Lara," gasped Dean.

"Yeah, I'm here Dean."

"He's got Jordan somewhere. He's threatening to kill him. Jesse's got a weapon." Dean was becoming stressed as he struggled to comprehend the fact that a member of his team was in mortal danger. Heidi and Lachie appeared out of the entryway, carrying the injured woman, just as the ambos and firies showed up. Jake Hudson jogged up to the back of the patrol where Dean was sitting, being tended to by Lara.

"Lara! I thought this bozo said you were gone." She smiled at him.

"Employed as of yesterday," she said, slapping him playfully on the arm. He went to slap Dean on the back, and stopped when he saw the bandage on his arm seeping blood.

"Gallagher, what happened? Rescue becoming too much for you?' Dean shook his head.

"Crazed kid with a knife."

"Where is he now Gallagher?"

"No idea." Dean was getting paler.

"Right, well, we're going to go put a fire out, and the arson squads coming in. This is intentional, we're sure of it." Jake sprinted away to direct his fire crews.

"Dean, we need the ambos to check you out. I'll take charge," said Lara. He nodded, happy for someone to have control.

"Rescue Portable Two to Rescue Base, Vince, I've got a sit-rep for you."

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable Two, where's Dean, Lara?"

"He's being treated by the ambo officers."

"What happened?" Asked Vince, concern filling his voice.

"Jesse Davis, the boy they rescued yesterday, took to him with a knife, and he's taken the director hostage. Can you send the police down here for us?"

"Sure thing Lara. Is Dean ok?"

"Yeah, he'll be right. Needs a bit of oxygen, probably a few stitches in his arm to close up the laceration in his arm, but he'll be right."

"Right. Thanks Lara."

"That's not all Vince."

"What Lara?"

"He's taken Jordan."

* * *

"Jordan? Jordan!" The four members left had grouped into teams.

"Oi, Lara. Need some help?"

"Jake! Yeah, if any of your teams are available, we could definitely use the help. We're using frequency one."

"Sounds good. Have you got a grid you're working off?"

"We're just checking things building by building. No grid."

"We're do you want us to start, Lara?"

"We need a team over in the drama department, and another checking graphic design. We have two teams, one taking this floor, the other taking the upper floor." Jake nodded.

"See you at the end." Lara nodded. She had paired Heidi and Chase together, and put Lachie in her own team.

"Chase, Heidi, you take this floor. Lachie and I will head upstairs." The two teams nodded, and then split, Lara and Lachie heading for the stairs. They wandered the upstairs corridor.

"Jordan? Jordan!" They checked rooms, until someone stepped out in front of them.

"Hello." His voice was sinister.

"Jesse. Mate."

"Don't mate me, you idiot." Lachie stepped back, putting Lara behind him. Jesse pulled the door closed.

"What's going on Jesse? What have you done?" Asked Lara.

"You're a pretty bitch. Why weren't you here yesterday? Maybe you could have stopped me then, I would have been convinced to stop for you." He spat on the floor.

"Jesse. Come on. What is going on?"

"I just wanted to hurt the director and his precious university. He's threatening to kick me out, and I can't have that. I need to finish my degree so I can get out of this country, away from everything here!" He lunged forward with his bloodied knife. Lachie's SAS training kicked into gear, and he quickly disarmed him, throwing Jesse's knife to the floor, and pushing Jesse to his knees, hands pulled behind his back.

"You can't hurt me. You don't even know where your own man is, or where McAndrews is. You hurt me, you never find him. I will not speak." Lachie and Lara exchanged looks.

"That's a risk we'll have to take." Lachie pulled him up.

"Rescue Portable Two to Rescue Base. Vince, we've caught Jesse. Do you know if the cops are here yet?"

"Rescue Base, Lara, they're outside waiting for your transfer."

"Thanks Vince."

"Any news on Jordan?"

"Not yet. We'll keep you posted."

* * *

Heidi and Chase were checking the dance studio's on the ground floor.

"Chase, what if we never find him?"

"Heidi, we'll find him."

"But what if we don't?"

"We will Heidi. Don't be like that. Think positively. We'll find him." They came to a janitor's closet near a bathroom. Blood seeped from under the door.

"Oh no, Jordan!" Heidi flung the door open, only to find James McAndrews lying crumpled on the floor. Chase checked his vitals, and shook his head.

"Nothing Heidi." He picked up his radio.

"Rescue Portable Four to Rescue Base, we've got a Code Four Vince."

"Rescue Base, it's not Jordan is it?"

"No Vince. It's the director, James McAndrews."

"Thanks Chase. I'll let the police know. I'll have some ambos meet you inside, and they can take his body to the hospital morgue."

"Ok Vince." Heidi slumped against the wall, tears streaming down her face.

"We're never going to find him Chase."

"We will Heidi. It'll be ok." He bent down and hugged her tight.

"It'll be ok."

* * *

"Lachie, the smoke's getting too thick to see anything. How many more rooms have we got to go before we're finished?" Lara said, coughing as she crawled along. She reached behind her and pulled on her breathing apparatus, sucking in the sweet oxygen.

"We've got two more rooms to clear, and then we can head outside." Lara nodded, and reached for her radio.

"Vince, we've got two more rooms to go on this floor, and then this floor is clear."

"Ok Lara. Keep me updated." Vince clicked off his radio.

"Lara to Jake. Anything in the drama and graphic area's?"

"No Jordan, if that's what you're asking, but we have found several more starters and a good quantity of explosives. This kid was serious, and I mean, wow. We've diffused the starters, and the bomb squad's on their way to take out the explosives." Lara coughed and spluttered.

"Thanks Jake. I think we've got a new fire up our way. The corridor we're in is filling with smoke."

"Make sure you've got your BA's on. We'll be finished here shortly, and we'll come investigate. See you in a few." Lachie pulled himself forward and checked the next room.

"Nothing here Lara."

"One more to go Lachie. We can do this. We need to find Jordan." He nodded, and crawled further onward.

"Lara to Heidi and Chase. Sit-rep guys."

"We found McAndrews." Chase reported in, whilst Heidi tried to compose herself.

"Is he okay?"

"Code Four Lara. The ambo officers just picked him to take him to the morgue. He'd lost a lot of blood." Lara sighed.

"Any sign of Jordon yet?"

"Nope. Not yet."

"Ok Chase. We're almost done here, and then we'll meet you downstairs to help you complete the search."

"Copy that Lara." Lachie had finished the last room, and had crawled back to Lara.

"All clear. We can head downstairs now." Lara nodded. Coughing and spluttering they headed back to the stairwell. Hoping they'd somehow find their team-mate alive and well.

* * *

"Heidi, come on. We need to keep looking." He pulled her up, and embraced her again.

"We'll find him, ok?" He brushed a tear away from cheek, and kissed her forehead. Heidi was like a sister to him, and he hated to see her in so much pain. She nodded and stepped forward.

"We still have four more rooms to check before we get to the studios."

"Well then, let's get these rooms done, and find Jordan." Chase knew of her feelings for Jordan. They'd confessed to still loving each other when they were trapped in flour room in a mill, about to die from gas. He understood how she felt, and knew that for her sake, they better find Jordan soon. Lara and Lachie came tumbling down the stairs moments later, and landed in front of Chase and Heidi.

"You alright?" Chase asked, pulling Lachie to his feet.

"Yeah, we're fine," answered Lara, pulling off her BA. The air was clearer on the lower level, but was still quite smoky.

"We've only got the music studios left to check, and then this building's all clear." They nodded at each other. They were headed towards the music studios, when Jake Hudson burst through the doors.

"Hey guys. I need someone out here to help. We've found a few injured in another fire. Can you spare anyone?" Lara looked at her team.

"Lachie and I will go." She knew that Heidi and Chase would have the drive to find Jordan, no matter what the cost.

"You sure Lara?"

"Yeah Lachie. Come on, let's go." Jake motioned for them to move forward, and they followed him out into the bright sunshine, almost blinding in comparison to the smoky rooms they'd been checking. Heidi and Chase forged ahead.

"You go down the end, I'll meet you in the middle." Chase was the leader now. Heidi felt like her mind was separated from her body, like she had no control. She numbly moved forward and opened the first door. Nothing. The second and third doors were the same. When she reached the fourth door, she'd lost all hope. She didn't even open it. Heidi slumped to the floor, tears pouring down her face as she contemplated a life without her love. Chase heard her sobbing, and came back out.

"Come on Heidi, only a few more rooms to go. I'll check them with you." She nodded, and took his offered hand. The smoke became thicker as they moved down the rooms, each one of them just as empty as the first. As they got to the end, Heidi felt more downcast. She grasped Chase's shirt, coughing and sobbing.

"Chase, he's not here. We're never going to find him!" Chase embraced her, frantically trying to think if they'd missed any rooms.

"Wait. Heidi, there was a large metal cabinet in the last room. You don't think…" She looked at him, and he looked at her. They sprinted down the corridor to the last studio. Chase reached the room first, and flung open the metal doors. There was a limp Jordan. His face was covered in heavy, dark bruises and dried blood. His hands were tied roughly behind his back, and a gag shoved crudely into his mouth. He didn't appear to be breathing. Heidi tried to check him over through the brimming tears in her eyes.

"Chase, he's not breathing." He made a split second decision.

"Put a BA on him, and we'll have to resuscitate him outside. We can't help him in here with so much smoke." Chase got behind Jordan, lifting him under his shoulders, Heidi taking his feet. They fought with the doors as they got him outside.

"Lara! We need help!" Lara came tearing over.

"Oh my, put him down over here." Heidi had tears spilling down her face, and she could barely see. Lara guided them over onto a spine board, and Lachie joined them. They lowered him carefully. As soon as he was lowered, Heidi started fighting to get in to start CPR. Chase grabbed her around the middle, and held her back. She kicked and screamed to be let go, and fought against Chase's strong grip.

"Jordan," she sobbed. Chase tried to soothe her. Lachie and Lara worked frantically on him, trying to get his oxygen deprived body functioning. Heidi had a brief flashback to when Jordan was poisoned with methyl bromine, and tried to choke back a sob.

"Jordan. Don't die on me now, please!" Heidi felt utterly shattered. Chase grabbed his radio of his shoulder, cradling Heidi with his other arm.

"Rescue Portable Four to Rescue Base. Vince, we found Jordan." Chase's radio crackled to life.

"What's his status Chase?"

"We pulled him out of a cabinet. His face is covered in blood, and he looks an absolute mess. He was gagged and bound."

"Is he breathing?" Chase hesitated. Michelle's voice came over the radio.

"Chase. Is. He. Breathing?" Chase took a deep breath.

"No."

"Oh no."

"Lara and Lachie are working on him now." The whole team felt like time was in slow motion, as they fought to bring Jordan back to life. They thought all hope was lost, until he coughed, and sucked in a lungful of air.

"Jordan!" Heidi freed herself from Chase's grip.

"Michelle, he's back." Jordan's eyes watered as he drew in more oxygen. Lara secured an oxygen mask over his face. Heidi slammed into his side, hugging him, and he groaned in pain.

"Babe, are you ok?" He shook his head, grimacing.

"Jordan, what's wrong?" Asked Lara. Heidi shrieked as she pulled away her hand from his torso. It was covered in deep, red blood.

"I think he stabbed me with his knife. I don't remember a lot," replied Jordan in a hoarse voice.

"I tried to stop him from getting back in with the knife, and he stabbed me. When I fell on my knees, he started to kick me, and then he started hitting me in the face, saying I was ruining his plan, and then he grabbed my head and slammed it into a brick wall. I think I blacked out after that." Jordan panted with his effort to relay everything. Lachie pressed a gauze pad against the open wound, and Jordan pulled a face. Lara ran her hands along his ribs, checking them, and he moaned in pain.

"I think he may have a broken rib or two as well." Lachie nodded, focussed on firmly taping the gauze to Jordan's side.

"I think the rest of it is just cuts and bruises." Lara finished her examination, and went to stand up. Heidi ran her fingers through Jordan's hair, glad that he was back. As she pulled her hand back to run his hair through her fingers again, she noticed the fresh blood.

"Lara, I think he's got a head wound." She crouched back down again.

"Chase, can you and Lachie roll the spine board over? I don't want to risk him in case he's a spinal. There's all chances he's not, but I'd rather be safe than sorry." Lachie and Chase nodded their agreement, and rolled Jordan to the side. Lara checked the back of his head.

"Heidi, he's split his head open a little, probably when Jesse smashed it into the wall. Can you hand me some gauze and a bandage?" Heidi nodded, passing her the first aid equipment. Lara patched him up as the ambulance crew pulled into the driveway. The ambos lifted Jordan onto a gurney, Heidi holding his hand the whole entire time. As they loaded him inside, Heidi ran around the front to the passenger side, and jumped in, buckling her seatbelt. The ambulance technicians climbed in, and soon they were leaving.

"Wow. Big day, huh?"

"Yeah Chase." Lara's phone rang.

"Hey Vince."

"How's Jordan doing?"

"Just left in the ambulance now."

"All good?"

"Yeah, he'll be right."

"Well, you're all invited for drinks at the pub tonight, my treat."

"Yes!"

"Oh, and tell Lachie, if he's driving a patrol back, he better not smash it this time." Lara relayed the message to Lachie, who playfully punched her in the arm.

"Ow. Yeah Vince, he'll be careful. See you at the station in a few."

"Oh, can you pick up Dean on the way back? He's all stitched up now, and dosed on some good pain meds, and he can't really drive. Drop him home if you can."

"Yeah sure Vince. I'll take the other patrol, and Chase can take the truck."

"Good. See you at the station in a quarter of an hour." Lara hung up, and finished her pack up.

"Well boys, I'll see you back at the station. Drinks at the pub afterwards, Vince's treat." Lachie and Chase high-fived each other.

"Yes!"

* * *

Lara pulled up out the front of RPA hospital, and dashed inside to get Dean. She brought him outside, struggling a little with his weight.

"Hey Lara. My arms numb," he slurred, slightly drugged up. She giggled at him, and got back in the driver's side, buckling her own seatbelt, and checking Dean's.

"Let's take you home." She pulled out of the driveway, and soon they were heading towards Dean's house. Lachie and Chase had moved out a while ago, and lived in an apartment block across town.

"So what did I miss?"

"We found Jordan. Jesse had stuffed him inside a metal cabinet after knocking him out, and had him bound and gagged. He'd lost a fair bit of blood, and had a very impressive piercing in his side, but he's ok now. We had to revive him too. He's almost harder to revive than you are," she joked.

"Yeah. Maybe." She pulled up out the front of his house.

"You right to go in?" He nodded, and opened the door, stumbling like a drunk. Lara jumped out.

"Let me help you." She swung his arm over her shoulder, and helped him up the few steps to his door. He fumbled for his keys, and dropped them to the ground.

"Here." Lara bent down and picked them up, using them to unlock the front door.

"Thanks," slurred Dean sleepily. He staggered inside, tripping over his own feet.

"Come on, get into bed. I don't trust you to look after yourself. I'll drop Lachie over tonight to watch you overnight."

"'Kay." He shuffled over to his bed and flopped down on it, asleep almost instantly. Lara covered him with a blanket, and left a glass of water on the bedside table. She tip-toed outside, locking the door behind her.

"Cheer's Vince!" The team raised their glasses in a toast.

"To all that's happened today!"

"Thank heavens we survived!"

"To good memories!" The team threw back glasses of wine and beer, enjoying their time together. As they gathered their things to leave for the night, Lara grabbed Lachie's arm, and he stopped, looking at her.

"What's up Lara?"

"Dean's at home by himself tonight. I think someone should stay with him tonight, you know?"

"Nah, sorry Lara. I hate to decline such a lovely offer, but I've got me and Chase dates tonight, and if we cancel, we look bad. You know how it is."

"Oh. Right. Okay then." He clapped her on the shoulder.

"Guess you'll have to stay with him then, yeah?"

"Yeah." Lara struggled to comprehend the fact that she would have to stay Dean tonight. As she walked out the pub doors, she felt a cold chill, like someone was watching her. She shook it off, and headed for her car.

_A hooded stranger emerged from their hiding place in the shadows… Waiting… Watching…_


	2. 4-2: Riots Right

_EPISODE 4.2 – Riots Right._

* * *

A few weeks later, the team was sitting in the office, writing and filing reports. All was quiet, if you didn't count the tapping of computer keyboards, when Vince's phone rang.

"Rescue Special Operations, Vince Marchello."

"Really?" He scribbled on his notepad.

"Rosemeadow?" He scratched out the words faster.

"Righto, we're on to it." He put the receiver down, and lifted his notepad, peering through his glasses.

"Right team, we've been called in to an MVA in Rosemeadow involving a car that's driven into a house. Unknown number of casualties, and the police are there. That's about all of I've got, I'll update you with more as I know it. Lara, Lachie, patrol one. Chase, Heidi-Ho, patrol two. Dean and Jordan, light desk duties for you both."

"Why are the police there Vince?" Asked Lara, grabbing her phone of her desk.

"Other than the fact it's an accident, there are reports of rioting there, so watch yourselves. Lara, you're in charge." She nodded to Vince. Dean started to complain as the other thundered down the stairs

"But Vin…"

"No 'but's', 'if's', 'maybe's' or 'I'm fines'. You're not going." Dean slumped back down in his desk chair, sullen at the fact he couldn't go. Jordan, on the other hand, still had this annoying twinge in his ribs occasionally that signalled to him he should really rest at least another week. He grabbed another file, and began entering the details into the system.

"You're easy to please." Dean broke the silence.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, normally you'd be complaining about the fact you've got desk duty, and today? You're quiet, and calm about the whole thing."

"I dunno Dean. Maybe I've mellowed." Jordan chuckled and turned back to his computer screen.

"Love more like."

* * *

**Rosemeadow:**

"Rescue Portable Two to Rescue Base. Vince, you didn't mention how much of a mess it would be out here." Lara was irritated that he'd neglected to tell her this fact.

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable Two, no-one told me Lara." He chuckled.

"What's the sit-rep?"

"We've got a patient trapped in the driver's seat, another under the front wheel, and unknown everywhere else."

"Ok. Ambos are on their way." Chase jumped out of his patrol, Heidi alongside him. He sniffed the air.

"Is that petrol fumes?"

"Vince, we've got petrol leaking from the car. Can you request fire crews to back us up?"

"Copy that Lara, there's a fire station nearby. I'll get onto them. Over." Lara turned to the team.

"Right. Chase, can you assess the passenger under the wheel? Heidi, see if you can get in the house, check if anyone's inside. Lachie, take the driver." A squad car pulled up alongside the patrols. A uniformed officer climbed out.

"Officer Kelly Brandon, how may I help you?" She shook Lara's hand, as Lara introduced herself.

"I'm Lara Knight, Acting Unit Leader for the Rescue Special Operations team. What's going on here?"

"Riots. It's been quiet for too long, we should have seen this coming. We've calmed most of it down, but the damage remains. There's only so much we can do before we need help, so we called you in."

"Glad we can help. Any other areas that need assessing?"

"No. We've checked them, and the other houses are empty. These blocks are due for demolition anyway. They're building estate instead, getting rid of the public housing." Lara nodded.

"Thanks for that officer."

"Lara! I could use your help over here!" She smiled at Officer Brandon, before jogging over to Lachie.

"What's up?"

"Can you grab a collar for me? He's a possible spinal." Lara grabbed the collar, and Lachie wrapped it around the man's neck, fastening it securely.

"How will we get him out? The doors jammed up against the house, and we won't get him out safely through the side window." Lachie grinned at Lara, and pointed up.

"Through the sunroof."

* * *

Heidi checked the other rooms of the house, and was about to pronounce it clear, when she heard crying. She backtracked to a little hallway, and realised there was a room just off to the side. She pushed the door open to find a two-year old boy on the floor. His skinny face was streaked with tears, as he screamed his lungs out.

"Shh bubby. It's alright." Heidi crossed the room to him, and lifted him up into her arms, cradling him. His wailing reduced to whimpering as he snuggled into Heidi's shoulder, comforted.

"I wonder where your mummy is." She reached carefully for her radio, trying not to disturb the sleepy child.

"Rescue Portable Five to Rescue Base, Vince, do we know who the occupants of the house are?"

"Give us a minute Heidi-Ho." Vince shuffled through the papers on his desk.

"Ah, here we go. Graham and Tracy Fielding live there with their son Mattie."

"I've got Mattie here, and he's been left alone, I've got no idea where the parents are, and I can't leave unaccompanied."

"Look after him for a little while. I'll organise a social worker to come and collect him off you."

"Thanks Vince." She attached her radio back to her uniform, and headed for the stairs, Mattie ensconced safely in her arms.

* * *

"Chase, how's your patient?" Called Lara.

"Not good. I think she's ruptured her spleen, and she's got the possibility of a crush injury. She hasn't woken up yet."

"Lara, I'm ready to shift Mr Williams," said Lachie. They pulled him through the sun-roof of the car, being careful not to bump him on the way out. They transferred him into a nearby ambulance, and soon he was on his way to Campbelltown Hospital. Lachie moved around to Chase's patient.

"I'm going to try and move the car mate."

"Yeah, ok." Lachie jumped over Chase, and headed for the front of the car.

"Ready Chase?"

"Ready!" Lachie pushed against the front of the car. As it moved, the girls BP plummeted, alarms beeping everywhere.

"Dammit! I'm losing her!" Lara came running. She felt over the girl's stomach.

"Abdomen's rigid. She's bleeding internally." As the alarms declared the girl's imminent death, Lara sat back, silent.

"The pressure of the car was keeping her alive," she said quietly. Lachie crouched down behind her.

"There was nothing you could do Lara," he said, rubbing her back.

"I should have known! I should have checked, made sure she would be ok once we moved the car. I'm in charge, I should just know!" As she dissolved into tears, Lachie pulled her up into standing position, and held her. Chase sat back on the floor, shocked by the fact he had lost another patient. It was something you hoped never happened in a rescue, but sometimes it was inevitable. Heidi appeared in what used to be their living room.

"What happened?"

* * *

 

Heidi sat in the back of the patrol, holding the sleeping Mattie. Lachie, Lara and Chase packed up the days gear.

"Heidi, can you help us for a second? Put Mattie on the back seat, he'll be ok for a few minutes."

"Sure." Heidi placed Mattie gently on the back seat in the patrol, and jogged over to help Lara. As they packed the gear in the other patrol, Heidi spoke.

"How are things going Lara? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Heidi," snapped Lara.

"Geez. Just asking," she grumbled. She turned around to the patrol.

"He's gone!"

"What do you mean Heidi," asked Lachie, running over.

"Mattie. I put him on the back seat for a second, and now he's gone!"

"Alright guys, fan out. He can't have gotten too far, he's only two." The four team members spread out in the street, calling Mattie's name over and over. As they seconds ticked by to become minutes, and the minutes passed to an hour, the team disbanded their search, and returned to the patrols.

"How hard is it for me to look after kids? God, I hope Jordan doesn't want any. I'd be a sucky parent."

"It's alright Heidi, we'll hand this over to Campbelltown police. They can keep searching." Lachie slapped her on the back and headed to the other patrol. Lara got off her mobile.

"Vince says the firies are coming shortly to clean up the petrol, we've just got to wait until they show up." The team nodded and settled themselves down, waiting. Fifteen minutes had passed when a gentleman sauntered over to the wreck, inspecting it.

"Sir," called Lara, "you need to leave."

"Just looking," he said gruffly. He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it.

"Sir, you need to step away!" The team sprinted for him, right as he accidently dropped the burning cigarette into the puddle of petrol.

"NO!" The team were knocked back by the resulting explosion. The man and the house were engulfed in flames.

"Shit! Where are those firies when you need them?" Lara was pacing.

"Chase!" Lachie pulled himself up from the ground, and sprinted toward his brother's lifeless body. Chase had been closest when the petrol-fuelled eruption had occurred, and was now lying close to the burning house, his own uniform burning rapidly.

"Chase! Chase!" Lara grabbed a fire blanket from the emergency kit in the back of the patrol and ran over to him.

"Quick, put this over him," said Lara breathlessly. Lachie threw the blanket over Chase's body, and put out the flames.

"Oh my. Chase."

"He's not breathing Lara!" Heidi raced over with a medi-kit in hand, and pulled out her oxygen tank.

"No oxygen here yet Heidi, we need to shift him first." Lara grabbed a spinal board from the truck, and her and Lachie rolled Chase onto it. Together they lifted him away from the fire, and set him down. Heidi slipped an oxygen mask over his head, and Lachie started CPR. A small wail was heard.

"Mattie!" Heidi's head shot up as the firies pulled up into the street.

"No Heidi! Leave it to the firies!"

"I can't leave him Lara! I need to find him!" Heidi ran into the burning building, the smoke intensifying. She hadn't brought her BA with her, and only had a pocket knife handy.

"Mattie?" She coughed. A scream could be heard from the back of the smashed in loungeroom. She fought her way through the smoke. A distressed cry sounded again, as she found him in a high chair. She went to lift him out, and struggled to lift him

"What?" She looked down, and realised he'd been taped into the chair. She pulled out her pocket knife, trying to free the child.

"Come on!" The flames licked at Mattie's tiny legs, and he shrieked. Heidi fought with the tape.

"Come on!" He started coughing and spluttering, and started trying to fight Heidi as he struggled for oxygen.

"Yes!" She lifted the now limp child into her arms, and ran for the door, coughing herself. As she made it out into the bright sunshine, a fire officer took Mattie from her, and slapped an oxygen mask over her face. She sucked in the oxygen gratefully, then pushed it away.

"Mattie!" Heidi put an oxygen mask over his face. He was still breathing, but only just. She could have cheered when he coughed and took a deep breath. An ambulance crew who had just arrived picked him up from her, and put him in the ambulance.

"We're going to take him to Campbelltown Hospital. Can you let the parents know?" Heidi nodded. Lara and Lachie had continued working on Chase. Heidi crawled over to him.

"Come on Chase, you can't leave me now. Who will I pick on if you're not here?" Tears fell down her sooty face. She begged him.

"Please Chase."

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable Five, Heidi, what's going on? I can't raise the rest of the team." Heidi gulped back the tears.

"Chase was in a fire Vince. He's not looking good." Dean, who was eavesdropping near Vince, slammed his hands down on the desk and swore.

"Stay here Dean," growled Vince.

"My brother is out there dying, and you want me to stay here?" He sounded incredulous. He shook his head, and headed for his ute.

"What's his obs Heidi?"

"He's not breathing Vince!" Heidi started to hyperventilate.

"Calm down Heidi-Ho. Come on."

"What if he dies Vince? What if he doesn't make it?"

* * *

 

Dean sped down the highway, not caring if he got booked. His little brother was in trouble, and he needed to get to him as soon as possible. He cursed drivers who got in his way, and swerved in and out of traffic that was going too slow. It felt like all that ever happened anymore was that someone in the team wound up getting injured. Maybe it was time for an in-service to brush up their skills.

"Chase, why is it you always end up in trouble?" Dean slapped the steering wheel. After 20 minutes, he arrived at the scene. The house was smouldering gently now, having been extinguished by the firies earlier.

"Chase!" Dean flung himself out of the cab of his car, and raced towards his little brother's limp body.

"Chase you idiot!" Dean took in the burns covering Chase's face, and the ones on his body.

"We've got him breathing Dean, but he's not regained consciousness. Some of the burns are minor, but the ones on his face are major. His uniform protected his body, but his face was uncovered," said Lachie.

"Why didn't you protect him Lara? You're in charge!" Dean said angrily.

"Dean, mate, it's not her fault," interrupted Lachie.

"Shut up Lachie. I should have forced Vince to let me out today. At least maybe my team would still be in one piece!" Lara stood up, tears forming in her eyes.

"At least I tried Dean!" She stormed away, over to the other patrol, eyes blurry.

"Geez Dean, when did you turn into such an arse?" Lachie was furious at his brother.

"Well, it wouldn't have happened if she'd been paying attention like she should have!" Dean caressed Chase's hair. He might have acted like Chase was a pain, but inside he really did care for him. The ambulance pulled up nearby, and they loaded Chase's unconscious body into the back. They left quickly, sirens blaring.

"Dean, you should have gone with him," said Heidi softly.

"No Heidi. I want to go talk some sense into Lara, see if she won't listen to reason." Lachie grabbed him by the arm.

"Mate, you don't want to do that."

"Why not? I'm always told when I don't perform my best. Why shouldn't she know?" He stormed off.

* * *

Lara had been standing by the patrol, trying to get some semblance of control over herself.

"Stop crying," she chided herself, "he's just concerned about Chase." Deep down though, she knew that she'd failed as a unit leader. She walked away from the patrol, not caring where she went, or where she ended up. She felt like she needed time to think, to process all that had happened. She didn't hear the footsteps behind her, until it was too late. The stranger hit her with a metal pole across the back of the head, and rendered her unconscious.

* * *

"Lara. Lara!" Dean strode over to the patrol. When he realised she wasn't standing there, he stopped, confused.

"Do you guys know where Lara is?" Lachie and Heidi replied with shakes of their head.

"I thought she was at the patrol."

"Well, she's not here now. Lara?" He noticed a note on the patrol, stuck under the windscreen wiper.

_Hope your girlfriend enjoys her headache. Next time I won't be so gentle. Ditch her Dean._

"How long has this note been here?" Heidi looked at it.

"Dunno, not long? It wasn't there earlier."

"I think Lara's in trouble." The three of them spread out.

"Lara! Lara!"

"Dean, over there! In the gully by the trees!" Dean pounded the grass as he reached Lara, face down in the grass.

"Lara! Wake up!" He rolled her over, cradling her head on his lap. She groaned, and opened her eyes.

"Hey," she said groggily.

"Hey yourself sleepy head. Do you remember your name?" She nodded, then grimaced as a knife of pain shot through her. Dean sat her up, and she leant heavily on him. He waited for her answer, and when she didn't speak, he pressed her again.

"Can you tell me what your name is?"

"Lara Knight."

"Good. That's a good sign. How's your head?" She rubbed it tenderly.

"Sore."

"Well, you were walloped pretty hard. Do you remember who did it?" She shook her head.

"Dean, I'm sorry about Chase. I'm sorry I didn't take charge the way you would have." Her usually composed face dissolved into tears, and Dean pulled her close.

"Hey, it's alright. I was out of line. I was just upset about Chase." She sobbed into his chest.

"I'm sorry Dean." He held her for a little while.

"Do you think you can get up?" She nodded. He helped her stand up, and she took a few staggering steps.

"Whoa there Lara." Dean stood next to her and pulled her arm around his shoulder, and led her over to his ute.

"Lachie, Heidi. You each take a patrol and we'll meet you back at the station."

"'Kay Dean, see you there."

"Yeah, right mate." Lachie and Heidi left, and Dean and Lara got into the cab of his ute.

"Are we okay Dean?"

"Yeah. We're okay."

* * *

Back at the office, Michelle was sorting through her emails. Jordan stuck his head in.

"Anything else that needs doing Michelle?"

"Um, the ropes need to be cleaned, and if you've got time, take a cab over to the caryard. Our new patrol arrived today, and it needs to be picked up."

"Do you mind if wait a little while til Heidi gets back? I was going to go visit Chase at Campbelltown Hospital, but if it needs doing now, I can wait."

"Well, why don't you pick up the patrol now, bring it back, and wash the ropes whilst you're waiting for Heidi to come back." He nodded, and left her office. Vince came in, sorting through the mail.

"How's the rescue going?" She asked.

"Dunno, I haven't heard back from them yet. A letter from Head Office for you here too Michelle." Vince walked out of his office, and picked up his radio.

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable Two, Lara, how's everything going out there?"

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Base. Everything's fine Vince, they revived Chase."

"Deano, where's Lara?" Dean glanced at her in his passenger's seat.

"Come on Lara, stay awake. Vince, she's alright, someone took to her with a post, whacked her on the back of the head." Dean neglected to tell anyone about the note.

"Well then, how's Chase?"

"He's ok, got serious burns to his face. Minor burns to his body, his rescue uniform protected him. I'm waiting to hear if he's woken up yet." Vince grimaced.

"Thanks Deano, I'll let Michelle know." Michelle appeared near Vince's desk.

"Let me know what Vince?" He sighed.

"Chase is in hospital, severe burns to his face."

"Is he alright?"

"He's unconscious. His rescue uniform saved his body from most of the damage, but it's going to be a few weeks at least before his face has healed." Michelle shook her head.

"So what was your from Head Office letter about?"

"Not out here. Come into my office." They walked in together, Michelle closing the door behind them.

"They're investigating me for inappropriate conduct with Hayden Bradley."

"What did you do Michelle?"

"Nothing! I haven't done anything with him, or had anything to do with LifeBlood since they moved their operations to Queensland."

"So why do they think they know something about you two?"

"They tell me it's an anonymous tip." Michelle sat down behind her desk, and ran her hands through her hair.

"What am I going to do Vince?"

"Here's what you're going to do. You haven't done anything wrong, and they won't be able to find any dirt on. So keep your head low, and you'll be fine." Michelle's phone vibrated on her desk.

"That's James' babysitter. I'd better get it." Vince nodded and left the room.

"Stupid LifeBlood. The whole bloody lot are wankers if you ask me," he mumbled.

"Who are wankers Vince?" Jordan had just walked in.

"Just the bank Jordan. Overcharged my account again. Stupid mongrels." Jordan nodded, and disappeared back downstairs to wash the ropes. Lachie pulled up in the patrol.

"While you're washing those ropes mate, think you could do the patrol?" Jordan chucked a sponge at Lachie.

"Dream on mate. It's your job." Heidi drove the other patrol up the drive, and parked it out front.

"Hey babe!" She flounced over and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Better now you're here." He pulled her into a hug.

"Get a room you two!" Called Lachie, disappearing into the showers.

"Do you want to go down and visit Chase?"

"Has he woken up yet?" Asked Heidi.

"No, but I thought you might like to go and see him." She shook her head.

"What happened out there?" Asked Jordan gently.

"Lara was hit by someone in the back of the head. She's not seriously injured, Dean's looking after her."

"That's not it though. What else happened?"

"Dean ripped into Lara about how she sucked at taking care of the team, and how she didn't deserve to be unit leader. He was pretty harsh. She'd gone over to the patrol crying. I didn't even check on her, make sure she was ok!"

"Babe, you couldn't have. Besides, what would I have done if it had of been you who had been thumped on the back of the head?" She nodded.

"So I was thinking, do you want to go out to dinner tonight?"

"Where?"

"Our favourite little Italian restaurant in town." Heidi clapped her hands with glee.

"Oh, that sounds fantastic! What time?"

"Well, it's 4pm now. How about I pick you up at around seven?" Heidi kissed him on the cheek.

"Sounds lovely Jordan! I'll see you at seven. Love you!"

"Love you too."

* * *

**Campbelltown Hospital:**

Dean sat next to Chase's bed, holding his bandaged hand.

"Chase, why did you run towards the explosion?" Lara walked in to the quiet hospital room, two coffee cups in hand.

"What did the doctors say?"

"He's got second degree superficial partial thickness burns to ten percent of his body. They think he should come through that ok. It's the facial burn they're worried about. It's a deep partial thickness burn, and it could progress to a third degree. They're worried about possible infection." Lara dropped into a chair next to Dean, and handed him a cup. He nodded his thanks.

"Will he wake up?"

"He woke up for a little while, but they dosed him up on painkillers. They're going to decide whether they do skin grafts or not." They sat in silence for a while, sipping their hot coffees. Dean broke the silence.

"Lara, I'm sorry that I got upset at you today. You and I both know that you're very capable of taking care of the team."

"You're forgiven Dean." They watched Chase a little longer, until they saw his fingers twitch. He opened one eye a little.

"Hey guys."

"Hey yourself. How do you feel Chasie?" Dean rubbed his brother's hand affectionately.

"Pretty smashed. What happened?"

"You ran to save the guy who dropped his cigarette, and got hit by the explosion. You copped most of it on your uniform, which protected you, but you still got burnt pretty badly."

"Oh well. At least I'll have battle scars to impress the girls." Lara laughed.

"Yeah Chase, girls love scars. Shows you're a true man." Chase paled.

"Dean," he said, retching. Dean sprang into action, passing him a vomit bag, and Chase threw up into it. He leant back against his pillows, struggling for air.

"When did you guys get here?" He slurred. Dean stood up, concerned.

"Chase, are you alright?" His breathing increased to small, rapid gasps.

"Can't breathe. Feels like my heart is racing." Lara ran outside for the nurse.

"Chase, what pain meds did they give you?" Chase coughed, trying to suck in air.

"I don't know." Dean grabbed the chart from the end of his bed.

"Chase, they gave you morphine."

"But… I'm… all…aller…"

"I know Chase. Calm down. Shhh." A nurse came walking in to the room. When she saw Chase's condition, she hurried over to his bedside table where the medications were. Chase flopped to the side, trying to get some air, his closed airways not allowing him any of the needed oxygen. He passed out.

"Chase!" Dean and Lara stood back in horror as the nurses struggled to get Chase breathing again. Lara hid her face in Dean's shirt, as he watched with shock filled eyes. The nurses swabbed his neck clean, and made an incision for the tracheostomy. They inserted the tube into his neck, and attached an air bag to it, squeezing it to force the air into Chase's lungs.

"We've got a rhythm back!" They pumped adrenaline into his IV line. His face turned a flushed pink as the oxygen flooded his lungs. Lara and Dean breathed a sigh of relief. Lara turned to Dean.

"What happened?"

"Chase developed an allergy to morphine a little while ago. I though he was wearing his ID necklace, but he mustn't have it on." Lara gulped.

"What?"

"That must have been what I ripped off his neck at the scene." She thought back to the moment when she was trying to resuscitate Chase, while Heidi was in the burning building. She had thought little of the necklace, tearing it whilst checking the burns on his body.

"You did what?"

"I'm sorry Dean. I didn't think about it. I needed to assess him, and the necklace was sticking to his skin. I thought it was better taken off, I didn't think it meant anything." Anger flashed in Dean's eyes.

"Get out."

"I'm sorry Dea.."

"Get out!" He struck her across the face. She recoiled, and with tears in her eyes, ran from the hospital room. He spoke to Chase's unconscious body.

"I don't know if I can ever forgive her for this Chase."

* * *

**Sydney:**

Jordan and Heidi sat across from each other, hands intertwined over the table. Their orders had arrived, but they didn't care. They were too engrossed with each other.

"Heidi Wilson, I think I love you."

"I love you too Jordan Zwitkowski." They stared at each other for a little longer. Jordan spoke.

"How would you feel about becoming Mrs Zwitkowski?" Heidi just looked at him.

"What?" She asked.

"How would you feel about becoming Mrs Zwitkowksi?"

"How do I know you're not just trying to get rid of me like last time?" She smiled. He sighed, and got up from his chair, and knelt on the floor in front of her. She gasped.

"Would you, Heidi Wilson, do me the honour of becoming my wife?" She stared at him, pain in her eyes.

"Jordan, I'm sorry." Heidi ran from the restaurant, tears running down her face. Her make-up was streaking, but she didn't care.

"Heidi!" He chucked a hundred dollar bill at the waiter, and dashed outside the restaurant after her.

"Heidi! Slow down." She stumbled, but didn't stop. Jordan caught up to her, clutching her arm.

"What's wrong?" He panted.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this Jordan! What if I don't make a good wife? Or if I mess up everything? What if we find out we really hate each other?" She cried harder.

"Oh Heidi-Ho." He pulled her close, his shirt front quickly becoming stained with mascara. He stroked her hair.

"I shouldn't have just surprised you like this, I'm sorry Heidi." She gulped, trying to compose herself.

"It's not that. I like you and all…"

"But not in that way. I get it." Jordan released her.

"No, it's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"Can we go home and talk about it?" He nodded.

"Your place or mine?"

* * *

**Campbelltown Hospital:**

Lara stood outside the main entry doors. Her cheek felt warm and swollen, and it was sore. She cried as she thought back on everything that had happened. Dean had never been violent to her before. Then again, Chase's life had hung in the balance, and almost been lost because of her. She pulled out her phone, and punched in a number. She pressed it to her ear.

"Michelle? It's Lara."

"Yes?"

"I know it's late, but I've got no-one else. Can you come and get me?"

"Where are you Lara?"

"Outside Campbelltown Hospital," she sobbed.

"What's happened?"

"I'd rather not talk about it. Please Michelle," Lara pleaded.

"You're lucky James is at Ian's tonight. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Michelle hung up. Lara leant against the wall, trying to regain her composure, and reign in her tears. She heard the automatic doors open, and flinched.

"Lara?"

"Please Dean, just go away."

"Not until you've owned up to this. It's your fault Chase almost died in there. You took off the necklace. You didn't even check what was on it, you just ripped it off. You could have killed him!" He slapped her face again, harder than before. The whiplash from it forced her head back against the wall, knocking around her already traumatised brain.

"Dean, please!" She sobbed. He looked at her, pity in his eyes, and disappeared back inside the doors. She slumped down the wall. A car beeped its horn at her, then pulled up into a parking space nearby.

"Lara?"

"Michelle." Michelle came over and looked at Lara's face.

"What happened?"

"Dean happened." She leant over and threw up in the bushes. Michelle handed her a tissue.

"What did he do?"

"He slapped me." Michelle gasped.

"What for?"

"I almost killed Chase. I ripped of his medical alert necklace when we were trying to revive him today, and didn't put it back on him. When he came in, they gave him morphine. He almost died from anaphylactic shock Michelle, and it's all my fault." She dissolved into tears, and Michelle held her close.

"I'll take you home." Lara sniffed, and Michelle helped her up.

"Actually, I don't think you should be staying alone tonight."

"I've got no-one else Michelle." Michelle dialled her phone, and put it on loudspeaker.

"Hello?"

"Lachie, I need your help tonight."

"What's up Michelle?"

"Lara needs to stay with someone, and I hear your home alone while Chase is in hospital. Do you mind an extra houseguest?"

"Not at all Michelle. Drop her over."

"Ok, see you in twenty minutes." She turned to Lara.

"Problem solved."

"I can't impose on Lachie, Michelle."

"You can, and you will. Lachie can look after you, and I can rest with piece of mind."

"Ok."

"It's settled then. I'll drop you at Lachie's, and I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

**Sydney:  
**

Settled on Jordan's couch, Jordan had his fingers wrapped through Heidi's. **  
**

"What's the big secret Heidi-Ho?" She took a deep, shaky breath.

"Do you remember the rescue that involved the rapist, a few years back? He killed his wife." He nodded.

"I had nightmares for weeks afterwards. I used to wake up screaming, thinking he was there again. I went to counselling, therapy. You name it, I went. I've had to learn to trust again, and I don't know if I can do it with you." He leant forward and kissed her head.

"Babe, I had no idea. You seemed so… together after it all happened. You should have told me."

"I didn't tell anyone, Jordan. I didn't know what to do." She shed a few tears. Jordan wiped them away with the side of his thumb.

"Heidi. No matter what happens, I will love you. I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes. Even if we're old and grey and you decide then that you want to marry me, I'll still be there." She nodded through her tears. He pulled her to his chest, and she just cried. He stroked her hair.

"I'll love you no matter what Heidi."

* * *

Michelle knocked on the door to Lachie and Chase's apartment. Lachie opened the door.

"Geez. What happened to you Lara?"

"Long story," said Michelle. She hugged Lara quickly.

"I'll see you in the morning. Get Lachie to bring you in." Lara nodded. She left quickly. Lachie closed the door, and locked it for the night.

"So. You gonna fill me in on what happened?" She sat on his couch. He made her a cup of tea, and sat next to her.

"Dean happened," she whispered. Tears started forming in her eyes.

"What do you mean 'Dean happened'?"

"I took off Chase's medic-alert necklace. I didn't mean to, but I needed to assess him after the explosion. I ripped it off without thinking, and didn't put it back on. They gave Chase morphine at the hospital, and he went into anaphylactic shock. He nearly died, and he blames me. That's why he hit me." She lost control, and started sobbing.

"Oh, Lara. Lara." Lachie felt helpless. He pulled her close in an embrace. She quietened after a while.

"You can stay in the spare room, I've got it set up for you." She nodded. He got up from the lounge, and made sure she was settled in.

"Thanks Lachie."

"It's alright Lara. Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." He closed her door. He went in his room, and closed the door. He felt frustrated. He wanted to hurt Dean for what he had done to Lara, how he had hurt such a precious girl. He lay in his bed, fuming over Dean, and his actions. He might not be able to change them, but he sure could protect Lara from him at least...

Lachie woke later in the night to a crash. He sat up in bed and listened. Then he heard guttural moaning.

"Lara?" Another crash. He flung the door open and headed for the spare room. He knocked on the door.

"Lara, are you ok? Lara?" The groaning was louder. He opened the door slightly, and saw Lara on the floor.

"Lara!" She was seizing on the floor, arms and legs flying everywhere. Her necklace was choking her, and Lachie stepped over her and knelt down beside her, loosening the necklace. Her eyes had rolled back into her head, and she was flopping everywhere. Lachie cleared the floor space. The best thing to do now was wait for her to come out of it. He sat next to her, hoping she'd relax soon. She came out of it after a little while, and was quite groggy.

"Lara, are you ok?"

"Hmmm."

"Have you had seizures before?"

"No." He helped her up onto the bed. He handed her a glass of water from the pitcher beside the bed.

"I feel strange. Really odd."

"Having a seizure can do that to you. Listen, if you've never had a seizure before, I need to take you to the hospital. That concussion may have done more damage than we thought." She nodded. Then she stiffened in his arms.

"Lara? Speak to me Lara." She bucked back against him, in the throes of a second seizure.

"Oh no, not again." Lachie moved Lara to the floor, and waited it out again. This time though, she didn't wake up.

"Lara?" He shook her gently.

"Lara!" This time harder.

"Lara! Come on Lara, wake up!" Lachie reached for his mobile phone, and dialled triple zero.

"Ambulance."

"What seems to be the problem sir?"

"My friend has just fallen unconscious."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

Lachie walked into the office the next morning, minus Lara. Michelle stuck her head out the door, confusion written on her face.

"Where's Lara?" She asked.

"She had a seizure last night and fell into a coma. They say she has secondary impact syndrome, from a second trauma. I don't know what it was though." Michelle looked down.

"Oh. That… that could be my fault."

"What do you mean Michelle?"

"She was throwing up last night when I picked her up; I thought it was just stress. I didn't think anything of it; I was more concerned about getting her away. I think Dean might have hurt her a little more than we thought." Lachie clenched his teeth. Dean came into the office, and Lachie went straight for his throat, pushing him up against the wall.

"What the hell did you do to her?"

"Nothing! Do what?" Dean was pressed up against a wall, struggling for air.

"What did you do?"

"To Lara? Nothing! I mean, I hit her, but it was spur of the moment violence. I didn't mean to, I was just so upset about Chase."

"Mate, I'm upset about Chase, but not upset enough to hit a woman. Are you crazy?" Dean shook his head.

"Oi you two, break it up!" Vince came in. "Calm down!"

"No, he has to know," said Lachie, anger in his eyes.

"Know what?" Choked Dean, struggling for air. Lachie pushed him higher up the wall.

"Lara's in hospital. You have to tell me what you did to her."

"I slapped her once, and told her to leave."

"That's not all, is it?" Dean shook his head, the colour leaving his face.

"Lachie! Drop him!" Vince tried to pry Lachie's hand of Dean's neck.

"I… I went back outside… Tried to slap some sense into her." Lachie snarled, and released Dean. He fell to floor, sucking in lungful's of oxygen and massaging his throat.

"You idiot! How could you do that to her?"

"I didn't do it on purpose!" He yelled.

"No, and now you've put her in the hospital, in a coma." Dean looked into Lachie's eyes.

"What?" He didn't believe him.

"She's in a coma moron. Secondary impact syndrome because of you, and what you did. You slapped her hard enough that her head hit the brick wall outside." Dean looked apologetic.

"I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter if you meant to or not, it's been done now! You shouldn't be apologising to me, you should be apologising to Lara. You did this." Vince stepped back.

"You two going to be alright today then?"

"Yeah. We'll be fine." Lachie shook himself off, and sat at his desk. Heidi and Jordan waltzed in, hand in hand. They stopped when they saw Dean being helped up by Vince.

"What happened?"

"Nothing." Dean was shaken by the news of Lara. He stuck his head into Michelle's office.

"Michelle. I'm just heading out for a little while." She motioned for him to come inside her office. He sat facing her.

"Listen Dean. What happened yesterday, it was out of line. I can't reprimand you formally, but I can give you fair warning. Anything like that happens again, you will find yourself off the rescue team very quickly." He nodded.

"I understand. It won't happen again."

"Leave your phone on. You're on call. Dismissed." He left, and got in his ute. He sat with his head resting on the steering wheel, and a lone tear rolled down his face.

"What have I done?"

* * *

Vince walked into Michelle's office, and sat down heavily on one of her office chairs.

"What are we going to do?"

"What are you going to do Vince? You're the station manager, you're supposed to keep them in line." He nodded.

"I know. I didn't even see this coming. What even happened to Lara? I feel like I'm missing some of the story here."

"Chase went into anaphylactic shock last night. The nurses gave him morphine, not knowing he was allergic to it."

"Doesn't he wear a medic-alert necklace?"

"He does, but when he was burnt in the fire, Lara tore it off so she could assess his injuries. She didn't even think to look at what was on it, and didn't think about it."

"Oh. And Dean blamed her?" Michelle nodded.

"Slapped her well too. She had a deep red handprint on her face when I picked her up last night."

"You picked her up?" Vince sounded incredulous.

"Who else was going to do it Vince? Usually she'd ring Dean. She can't do that when he's the problem." He sighed.

"What else happened?"

"Before I picked her up, Dean had been at her again, outside the hospital. He hit her hard enough for her head to hit the wall behind her. I should have realised something was wrong Vince. I should know!" He reached across and touched her on the arm.

"It's alright Michelle. She'll be ok." She wiped away the stray tears falling down her face.

"I need to get ready. I have an appointment with Head Office in a few hours, to sort out this Hayden Bradley mess." He stood up.

"Everything will be ok Michelle."

"I hope so."

* * *

**Campbelltown Hospital:**

Dean sat next to Chase's bed. He'd woken up a few hours earlier, and they'd removed his tracheostomy once they'd decided he could breathe on his own.

"Chase, what am I going to do?"

"Apologise to her Dean," croaked Chase.

"What if she never wakes up? What if I'm the one that killed her? What will I do then? I'll be a killer!" Chase shook his head.

"She won't die Dean. Think positive. She's Lara. She'll fight to live."

"I dunno Chase. What do I say to her?"

"Confess Dean."

"Confess what?"

"Confess to the fact you love her, and that everything that happened yesterday was a mistake." Dean scoffed.

"I don't love her." Dean smiled.

"You say you don't Dean, but it's written across your face. The way you look at her, speak about her. You're smitten, and you won't admit it."

"I hate it when you're right Chase. She's in a coma though. How am I supposed to tell her?"

"Just because she's unconsciousness doesn't mean she can't hear you."

"I suppose you're right." Chase gripped Dean's hand.

"Then go!" Dean stood up, pumped.

"Ok, I'll do this!"

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

Heidi sat at her desk, filling in her incident report for yesterday. It was one of the longest she'd done in a while. Vince's mobile vibrated on the desk, and he answered it.

"Vince Marchello."

"What?"

"Ok, thanks for letting me know." The three remaining team members tensed, getting ready to spring into action.

"Calm down there guys. Heidi, that was the hospital. Mattie was taken from the children's ward yesterday. They don't know who."

"Really?" He nodded. She sighed.

"People these days." She reached the section in her report where she had gone back into the burning house for Mattie.

"Vince, I've just remembered something strange about yesterday."

"What is it Heidi-Ho?"

"When I went back into the house yesterday to find Mattie, I found him taped into his high-chair."

"That's not right."

"Something seems off about this Vince." He dialled a number on his phone.

"Who are you calling?"

"The police. They can continue to look for Mattie, and be on the look-out for anything suspicious."

"Thanks Vince." His desk phone jangled. Vince indicated to Heidi to pick it up.

"Hello, Rescue Special Operations."

"There's been an accident. Please! We need your help."

"Ok, give me the details." Heidi scribbled them down quickly, and hung up.

"We've got a callout!" Yelled Heidi.

"Where to?" Asked Jordan.

"Intersection in Ambarvale."

"Isn't that near Rosemeadow?"

"I think it is." She checked it quickly and nodded.

"Who are the victims?" She checked her sheet.

"Tracy and Graham Fielding."

"Aren't they Mattie's parents?"

* * *

**RPA Hospital:**

Lara lay on the hospital bed, tubes everywhere. They had inserted a shunt into the base of her skull to relieve some of the pressure, and she hadn't woken up yet. Now they were waiting to see what sort damage had been done. Dean clutched her tiny petite hand in his own.

"Lara." He swallowed. He felt a little ridiculous talking to someone who was unconscious.

"I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. I should never have hit you. You deserve better than that from me, from anyone. I'm sorry for yelling at you yesterday, telling you that you were never good enough to be a team leader, and how I should have been in charge. No-one can protect Chase all his life. I couldn't have even saved him if I'd been there." He felt a tear roll down his cheek, and brushed it away. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

"Vince?"

"Deano, we've got a callout at Ambarvale. Lachie, Heidi and Jordan are heading out there now. We need a fourth pair of hands. Can you get over there?"

"Sure Vince." He hung up. He held her hand for a few moments longer. Hoping she would wake up. Wanting her to be ok.

"Please Lara. Wake up." He stood up, and was about to release her hand, when he felt her hand tighten.

"Lara? Come on Lara, wake up." He let go of her hand and ran to the door, calling a nurse. Her vitals spiked, and he came back over, gripping her hand tightly.

"Come on Lara, come back to me," he pleaded. She opened her eyes, and blinked groggily.

"Hey. That's it Lara. Come on, stay awake." She tried to sit up, but Dean forced her back down. She looked at him questioningly.

"You've been in a coma. Take your time before you try sitting up." She nodded. The nurse entered the room, and checked her chart, updating it.

"You're looking better," she commented.

"Lara, I'm sorry. I have to go. We've got a rescue and they need me to help." He kissed her on the forehead, smoothing back her hair. He took in the deep hand mark that he had left yesterday.

"I'll be back later, to see how you are, ok?" She nodded. He walked over to the doorway.

"Dean?" He turned and looked at her.

"I love you."

* * *

 

Dean floored his accelerator, racing against time to get to the accident scene. It was like déjà vu all over again as he wove his way through traffic on the freeway. Heidi, Jordan and Lachie were already at the scene, and had started treating. As he pulled up, Heidi ran up to meet him, talking as soon as he opened his door.

"We've got two trapped in the silver Commodore, one unconscious in the blue Honda, and a pedestrian patient." Dean nodded as he jumped out of the ute, and slammed the door.

"We're dealing with the two in the Commodore; the pedestrian probably needs looking at next." Heidi sprinted back to silver car, assisting Jordan and Lachie. Dean grabbed his medi-kit, and crouched next to the pedestrian.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"Kendra Bradfield." She was bleeding, but nothing major. He stemmed the blood-flow with a gauze pad.

"Any pain?" She shook her head.

"Just the cut."

"Well, it's deep, but I don't think it'll need stitches. I'd still get it checked out anyway."

"Thanks. Can I ask what your name is?"

"Dean Gallagher."

"Thanks Dean." He helped her stand, and moved her to the side of the road.

"Heidi!" He yelled. "How are you going over there?"

"We've got an impalement injury, and a severed artery that's going to cause us some problems if we move the patient."

"Ok, let Vince know, and he can alert the hospital and the ambos to be on standby." She nodded, and continued working on her patient.

"Can you take the unconscious patient?" She called. He didn't answer, but headed straight over to the car. The side door had been almost obliterated when the silver vehicle had slammed into it, and the driver was trapped. Dean stuck his head inside the car, and noticed a gun sitting on the passenger seat. It was a standard issue police hand gun.

"Heidi," he called, "do you know the names of our victims?"

"We've got Tracy and Graham Fielding in this car, and that is a David Bauer." Dean grabbed his radio.

"Vince, what details can you find me on a David Bauer?"

"Give me a second Deano." Vince tapped out the keys on his computer.

"Sergeant David Ba…"

"Vince, we've got a cop here, and I think he was chasing that other car." Dean wrapped a collar around David's neck, and set about prying off the driver door to get him out.

"Heidi, can you spare someone? I need help over here!" She dispatched Jordan over to Dean.

"What's up?"

"Grab a combi-tool. We need to get him out of here now!" Jordan ran over to the patrol and pulled out the needed tool, and raced it back over to Dean.

"What's going on?"

"He's a cop Jordan. We need to get him out and find out why he was here. Something seems odd about all this." Jordan started to tool, and began the task of separating the door from the car. After five minutes, he pulled the door free. Dean pulled David out of the car, and laid him on the road, being careful of the shattered glass.

"He's coming around!" Jordan and Dean hunkered down near him.

"Sergeant Bauer? You've been in an accident." David groaned.

"Sir, we need you to tell us what you were doing here," said Jordan.

"They took him," he whispered.

"Took who?"

"The boy," he slurred. They looked at each other, and Jordan ran over to Heidi and Lachie's patients.

"Where is he?" He asked them impatiently.

"Where's who, Jordan?" Asked Heidi.

"The boy. Mattie. The police officer said they had taken him. Where is he?" They just smiled at him. Heidi pulled away from them, horror in her eyes.

"Lachie, search their car. There has to be something in here." Lachie moved away from Graham Fielding, and opened the doors of the car. Nothing. He popped the boot open.

"Nothing here, mate. Just some receipts," Lachie called, head shoved inside the trunk of the car.

"What are they for?" Asked Jordan. Lachie shuffled through them, reading.

"Large suitcase, duct tape. They filled a prescription for sleeping tablets today. Nothing odd." Jordan looked around.

"The lake."

"What?" Asked Lachie.

"The lake!" Jordan turned to Tracy and Graham. Jordan turned to the pair still trapped in the car.

"You've got to tell me where he is." Tracy lifted a shaking hand, and pointed toward the lake.

"In there." Jordan grabbed his radio.

"Vince, we need police backup out her now, and police divers to assist."

"Copy that Jordan, what's going on?"

"They've dumped the kid in the lake."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

Everyone in the office scrambled to get their things. Michelle and Vince were heading to the scene in Ambarvale, Michelle to ward off the media, and Vince to co-ordinate operations. They ran out to Michelle's car. There was something jammed under her windscreen wiper.

"Is that a note?" Vince asked. She pulled it off, and read it aloud.

_This is your first warning. Stay away from my man._

"Who did you piss off?"

"Dunno Vince." They climbed into her car and sped away. Michelle felt rattled by the note. She wasn't seeing anyone at the moment, and wasn't quite sure who she had to stay away from. She shook the feeling of confusion, and put on her composed face, ready to take on the media. They arrived twenty minutes later, the media swarming like flies. Michelle battled them away, sufficing them with small, non-committal answers. Vince set-up a command station for all the rescue teams. Dean jogged over to him.

"What's the sit-rep Dean?"

"Police have taken both Tracy and Graham into custody. They're sifting through the pond at the moment, trying to find him. We don't know how long he's been under there. It's not looking good." Vince nodded.

"What kind of psycho tries to kill their kid, and then dumps them in a lake?"

"Your guess is as good as mine Vince." The tension in the air thickened, and an air of suspense hung over everyone. A cry sounded out from the diving teams as they pulled something from the water. Everybody came gathering around to see it. It was just an old chest. The police team dragged it from the water, and the divers went back to their search. The police opened it, hoping they wouldn't find a child inside.

"It's just full of water. Someone dumping it to get rid of it," called an officer. Dean shook his head, and watched the divers, waiting, anticipation on his breath.

Time was running out for Mattie.

Ten minutes later, the police team found the suitcase. They pulled it up on the bank, and popped the locks. Inside lay Mattie Fielding, duct tape across his mouth, hands tied, looking for all the world like he was sleeping peacefully. It was a painful sight to see.

"No!" Heidi screamed. Jordan tried to hold her back, but to no avail. She ran to the suitcase, lifting the tiny boy out of it.

"Jordan, help me! We can save him!" The tears streamed down her face as everybody watched on, unable to move. Jordan followed her over and crouched down next to her.

"Heidi." She didn't look at him.

"Heidi, babe. It's too late." He wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders, and lifted her up. Vince and Michelle cleared a path through the crowd, and Jordan led her away. He sat her down on the curb, and held her tight as she cried out all her emotions.

"This isn't fair Jordan. Why did this happen? Why didn't we see this coming? He's only a little boy, we could have saved him!" He didn't answer, he just held her close. Eventually he spoke.

"Sometimes there's no way of saving a person. Sometimes it doesn't feel like justice has been served when a rapist doesn't die, but a small innocent child does. Rescue is about saving people, no matter what they've done. We don't have the ability to see the future and fix things before it happens. We sometimes miss signs that alert us to other things, but we're only human. There is only so much we can do before it becomes inhumanely impossible. You can't save everyone Heidi. It's just not possible." She cried harder into his shirt. Jordan stroked her hair, letting her cry as much as she needed. After a while, she looked up at him, red-faced and tearstained.

"When did you become so wise?"

* * *

After a debrief back at Rescue HQ, the team split to go their separate ways. Jordan and Heidi were spending the night together, Lachie was going to see Chase, and Dean was seeing Lara. Lachie arrived at Campbelltown hospital.

"Chasie, bro. You look like someone totalled you!"

"Yeah, thanks Lachie," scowled Chase.

"So when are the setting you loose from here, hey?"

"Maybe tomorrow if I'm lucky. They're not doing any skin grafts, as long as I take care of the facial burn, and monitor it for possible infection."

"That'll be easy for you Chasie. Vince will stick you on desk duty, and all you'll have to do to keep yourself occupied is look at your ugly face." Lachie laughed, Chase punched him lightly.

"So how's Lara?" The air of laughter in the room died, and the mood turned sombre.

"She's alright. She came out of the coma yesterday. They're assessing her every hour, checking her mental function."

"Did he do it?"

"Do what?"

"Did Dean apologise?"

"I've got no idea. I haven't spoken to him since our fight."

"What fight?" Asked Chase. He felt a little behind on the current turn of events at Rescue. Lachie filled him in on the heated discussion that had occurred earlier. Chase reprimanded his own brother.

"You shouldn't have done that Lachie."

"I know Chase, but it's Lara. I mean, anyone can see he's totally head-over-heels for her."

"Yep. Everyone except Dean."

* * *

**Sydney:**

Jordan and Heidi sat snuggled together on his couch, watching a movie. After a while, Heidi broke the silence, and looked up into Jordan's eyes.

"Hey babe."

"Mmm?"

"I think I might be ready."

"Ready for what?" She looked at him. He stared back, confusion in his mind.

"Ask me again." The lights came on as he realised what she was talking about. He moved her along the couch, and dashed into his bedroom. He came back holding a small white box. He bent on one knee in front of her.

"Heidi Wilson."

"Yes?"

"Will you marry me?"

* * *

 

**RPA Hospital:**

Dean sat next to Lara's bed, massaging her hand.

"So how are you feeling?"

"Oh, you know. Little tired, but definitely on the mend. How did the rescue go today?"

"We lost a little boy. His parents drugged him and put him in a suitcase, and threw it into a pond. Almost killed a police officer too." She took his hand in both of hers.

"I'm sorry about that Dean." He looked in her eyes.

"I think it hurt Heidi the most. She was the one who rescued him twice, then to have him taken away by no fault of her own. She was crushed by it."

"Is she ok now?"

"Jordan's looking after her. Speaking of people being looked after, I've arranged for you to stay at Lachie's and Chase's for the next couple of days when you get out." She looked at Dean, a pained expression on her face.

"Why Dean?"

"Lachie doesn't trust me to stay alone with you, and he doesn't want you home on your own. So you have to stay with him, or never leave here." She giggled.

"I suppose I'll have to stay at Lachie's then, won't I?" She teased.

"You know Dean, I meant what I said earlier. I do love you. I always have, I've just never been game enough to admit it." He looked down. When he spoke, his own voice was thick with emotion.

"I've felt the same way ever since I first laid eyes on you."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

A week later, Heidi and Jordan waltzed into the office, hand in hand. Lara had been released a few days earlier, and was catching up on paperwork. She practically squealed when she saw Heidi.

"Show me, show me, show me!" Heidi held out her left hand, wiggling her fingers.

"Wow, it's beautiful Heidi!" Michelle came out of her office and hugged Heidi.

"Congratulations Heidi."

"What's this I hear about my Heidi-Ho getting engaged?" Boomed Vince's voice as he came up the stairs.

"It's true Vince." He hugged her tight, then slapped Jordan on the back.

"'Bout time mate." Jordan grinned. Chase came up the stairs next, Dean and Lachie close behind.

"Chase!" Heidi ran to him and nearly bowled him down the stairs, hugging him tight.

"Geez Heidi. What have I missed?"

"Jordan asked me to marry him."

"And you said yes?" Jordan put his hand on Chase's back.

"Sorry mate, guess you're not the fall back guy anymore!" They laughed.

"Guess you won't be a bachelor anymore Jordan. You're the first one of us to actually take the leap of faith and ask the woman to marry them." Lachie was enjoying this far more than he should.

"You can't say much mate! You were about to get married, and pulled out at the last minute!" Michelle left the team celebrating Heidi's news, and collected the mail from downstairs. As she sifted through the letter's, an unfamiliar address popped up. She put the rest of the mail on her desk and opened it.

_You women stay away from my man. This letter is your final warning. Go near him again, and you won't know what hit you. Next time Lara may not be so lucky, or Michelle, maybe James won't be so safe. Don't say you haven't been warned. Xx._

Michelle dropped the letter on her desk as if it had burned her. She picked up her desk phone and dialled with shaky hands.

"Ian? I need your help."

* * *

Vince had gone downstairs to answer the door. He came up with a girl in tow.

"Deano, this girl says she knows you. Wants to talk to you about something?" Dean looked confused, and led her into the meeting room, and closed the door.

"Hi."

"Hi." He looked at her, hoping to spark a memory. Nothing.

"Forgive my asking, but who are you?"

"Kendra Bradfield. You treated my leg wound at an accident a week ago?" The lights came on.

"Ah yes. I remember now. How can I help you?"

"Well actually, I was wondering if I could repay you. Drinks tonight at the bar? Nothing fancy, it's not a date or anything, just a way for me to say thanks." He thought about it long and hard.

"Yeah, ok. I'll meet you about seven?" She nodded.

"Thank you. I'll see you there!" She flounced out the door. Lara was waiting outside.

"Who was that?"

"Nobody."

"You going out for drinks tonight with nobody are you?" His face flushed.

"You can come with if you want."

"I might just do that Dean Gallagher. Keep an eye on you, hey?"

* * *

Dean and Lara sat in the bar, Dean nursing a beer, Lara holding a half-finished cocktail. Kendra appeared.

"Hi Kendra. Hope you don't mind, but I brought Lara with me tonight. She could use a night out for a change." Kendra looked slightly downcast, but covered it quickly.

"Hi. I'm Kendra."

"Lara Knight."

"So how do you two know each other?"

"Dean and I work together at rescue." Kendra looked at her oddly.

"I don't recall you being at the rescue the other day." Lara shook her head.

"I've been out of action for the past week, and I'm getting back up on my feet." Lara and Kendra bent their heads in conversation. After a few hours, they got up to leave the bar.

"Leaving so soon?" Asked Kendra.

"Some of us have work in the morning," replied Lara. Dean and Lara walked outside the bar doors. A person in a hood approached them, and grabbed Lara.

"Hey!" Yelled Dean. The man continued clutching Lara's arm, pulling her towards him. She kicked and screamed, catching Dean in the nose. He swore, and went for Lara's attacker again. The stranger then let go of her arm and bolted.

"Oi!" Dean sprinted after him, leaving Lara alone. She waited for a few minutes, then someone appeared out of the dark, grabbed her, and pushed her into a van. They drove away. Dean came back, panting slightly.

"He got…. Lara? Lara!"

_Out of their hiding place in the shadows a hooded stranger appeared… Waiting… Watching… Knowing…_


	3. 4-3: Crazed

_EPISODE 4.3 – Crazed._ ****

* * *

"Tell me you don't love him!" Lara screamed in agony.

"I don't love him. I don't love Dean!" The tormentor pressed the rag full of caustic chemicals against Lara's skin. She felt the heat course through it, and whimpered as the pain shot through her arm.

"Liar!" they hissed. Lara felt her skin blister and burn.

"Say you don't love him!"

"What else can I say? I've said it already! I don't love him!" A knife was pressed against Lara's wrists.

"Say it clearer Lara. I need to really feel it. Say it with some feeling and emotion." A tear rolled down Lara's face. It was soon followed by more. She sucked in a deep, gasping breath.

"I… don't love Dean Gallagher." The knife was pushed down hard, drawing blood.

"Still didn't believe it. Sorry." Her attacker slapped her hard across the face. Lara sobbed.

"How else can I tell you I don't love him?" Her tormentor stopped for a moment, and Lara took relief in the brief pause. She was bound to a chair. Her attackers face was covered so she couldn't identify them, and their voice masked.

"More emotion. I need to feel it in the delivery. It seems to me like you don't believe you don't love him. After all, maybe he doesn't love you? If he did, he'd be here now, saving you. But he's not." They laughed maniacally. Lara sobbed harder.

"Try one more time. Maybe this time I'll believe you." She pulled in a lungful of air, and tried for a third time.

"I don't love Dean Gallagher." She closed her eyes. A metal rod made contact with her shins, and she howled in pain.

"I don't think I'll ever believe you."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

Dean walked in the next morning, alone. Everyone was gathered around in Michelle's office, and Ian Johnson was there. He stuck his head in.

"What's going on?" Ian looked at him, taking in his swollen and bruised nose.

"Have you heard from Lara?" He asked. Dean shook his head.

"She's not come in, and we can't get in contact with her. We tried her apartment building, and her neighbours say she never came home last night," said Michelle.

"We went out for drinks at a bar. When we left, some guy tried to grab her. She kicked and screamed, caught me in the face with her feet. Then he let her go. I chased him down the road, maybe a kilometre, and then he disappeared. When I came back, she was gone. I thought that maybe she'd just caught a cab home instead." Michelle shook her head.

"Do you know what the guy looked like?" Asked Ian.

"He was hooded. Couldn't really see his face." Ian looked at Michelle.

"Dean, have you gotten any odd notes recently?" She asked.

"Come to think of it, there was one the day I went out to see Chase, after he'd been burnt. It was something along the lines of 'hope your girlfriend enjoys her headache. Next time I won't be so gentle,' and then something about ditching her."

"Do you still have the note?"

"I chucked it into one of my desk drawers. If you give me five minutes, I can look for it."

"Thanks Dean." Michelle rubbed her hands over her face.

"What's going on?"

"I got a threatening letter yesterday." Dean was angry.

"What? Who from?" He demanded.

"We're not sure who from. The return address is fake, and the letter is typed."

"What did it say?" Michelle pulled it out from her drawer.

"'You women stay away from my man. This letter is your final warning. Go near him again, and you won't know what hit you. Next time Lara may not be so lucky, or Michelle, maybe James won't be so safe. Don't say you haven't been warned. Xx.' That's it."

"Let me find that letter for you."

* * *

It was quiet. Lara was on her own, to suffer the pain being inflicted upon her. She heard footsteps, and opened her eyes. They were back.

"So, have you thought a little more into this… theatrical act?" She nodded her head.

"Are you ready to give it another try?" She nodded again. They pulled up their tools of torture, and waited. Lara let the waterworks start first, letting tears flow down her cheeks.

"I never loved him. I only ever pretended to so I could get him hanging onto my every word, and then dump him like he's dumped every other girl he's ever been with." She paused, waiting.

"Hmmm. More believable." They reached forward with the knife, cutting her wrists again, deep enough to scar, but not enough that she would die. Lara watched as the blood welled up from the wounds.

"We need to leave a mark for Dean. So he remembers that you aren't as pretty as he thinks you are." They pulled her head back.

"Just remember that you aren't as pretty as you think you are."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

"Any news?" Dean yelled up the stairs. He was washing the patrols. He needed something to keep his hands busy, and that was the best he could do without leaving the premises.

"Not yet Deano." Called Vince. He was calling in favours with every cop, ambo and firie he knew, just asking them to keep their eyes peeled for her.

"How does someone just disappear like that? No-one asking questions?" Asked Heidi. She was sitting in Michelle's office, lying on Jordan's lap.

"I've no idea Heidi," answered Michelle. Her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"It's been revoked?" She nodded. After a while she spoke again.

"Thanks Chantelle." She put the phone on the receiver.

"What was that about?" asked Jordan.

"Head office just withdrew the paperwork for the complaint." Heidi and Jordan looked at each other.

"What complaint Michelle?"

"The anonymous one that implied inappropriate conduct with Hayden Bradley and LifeBlood."

"That's crazy! We haven't heard from that lot since they moved their base of operations from Sydney to Queensland."

"Exactly. So where did the complaint come from, and whom?"

* * *

Lara felt her head being ripped back again, and moaned.

"I thought you might like a haircut," said her attacker. They pulled her hair roughly back, and with a snip of the scissors, cut her hair shorter than what it had been before.

"Now to take away some of that prettiness. It's wasted on you." Lara dreaded to think what would come next. A wallop across her back soon told her. A hot metal rod was being used to both injure her, and scar her. They pressed it against her flesh, hard, and Lara screamed in suffering. After they'd finished, they brought out the knife again. Lara hated that knife. As it was used to cut her skin again and again, Lara started to envision dying. At least there would be no more pain. With a final cut made on her skin, her attacker started untying her. Two burly men came over, their faces masked as well.

"Take her to the van," the main attacker ordered. A blindfold was put roughly over her eyes, and then she was dragged out to the vehicle, and thrown in. They started the engine and drove for what seemed like hours, her tumbling around in the back. They'd taken most of her clothes when she first came in, and had just bundled her up in a blanket. When the van stopped, she hoped whatever they were going to do would be quick and painless. The men slid open the door and dragged her out roughly, not caring if they hurt her.

"Dump her in the alley. See if her precious Dean Gallagher cares for her now."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

They sat around in the office. It was late, and none of them really wanted to leave until they had some information on what was going on with Lara. Ian sat at Michelle's desk, using her phone to talk to colleagues. Everyone else sat around the office, looking at boring paperwork. Heidi was the one to break the silence.

"Why aren't we out there looking? Why are we sitting here doing nothing?"

"Where would you like to start looking? We have no clue as to where she could be. Yes, looking is a good idea, but not if you don't know where to start." Michelle felt harried, rushed, like she was missing something from the bigger picture. Jordan pulled Heidi back down onto his lap. She buried her face into his shoulder.

"I think something's happened to her Jordan. Something bad." He rubbed his hand over her back. Ian came rushing out of the office.

"We've had a report of a women partially matching Lara's description wandering around two suburbs away." Michelle waved her hand, and the team were running down the stairs, jumping in the patrols.

When they got to the location, they scattered, searching the streets for Lara. When they came up empty, they turned to Ian.

"Well, where is she?" Demanded Dean.

"It wasn't her. Sergeant Jenkins just messaged me to let me know." His phone rang in his hands, and he answered it.

"Where?"

"Paramedics?"

"We'll be there shortly." He closed his phone with a snap.

"One of the security guards nearby has found a women lying in the alley, almost identical to Lara's description." Ian climbed back into the patrols, and the team sped there.

* * *

It was quiet where she was lying. It smelt like stale, rotting garbage, and the pain was still there, but at least there wasn't any more forthcoming. She felt the dagger's of pain from her wrists and legs, and moaned. All she wanted to do was sleep, get away from all this pain. She whimpered as she tried to sit up, but the burns across her back wouldn't allow her. She rolled over onto her stomach, pulling herself along, groaning every time she brushed against one of the numerous burns on her arms. She had to get out of the alley if she wanted to be seen, although, in her current condition, she wasn't sure how she looked to the casual onlooker. She made it to the end of the alley, where it connected to the street, and just lay there.

"Please Dean. I need you…"

* * *

Dean floored the patrol, and skidded to a halt outside the arcade. The security guard was waiting for them, cigarette in his mouth.

"She's out the back. I sure hope it's the girl you're looking for. She ain't looking too pretty either." The team ran through the games arcade, scattering teens everywhere. Johnson flashed his police badge, and everyone moved out of their way very quickly. Dean flung open the door.

"Lara?" He called. Nothing. They fanned out in the alley.

"Dean!" Heidi yelled, crouching down. He ran to her, medi-kit bouncing on his back. He slid to a halt, and dropped down next to Heidi. Lara's tortured body lay in front of him, confronting him with slashed wrists, burns and bruises. He sat with his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry Lara." Dean rode in the ambulance with Lara, holding her hand as they covered cuts with gauze pads, and burns with dressings.

"What happened?" She shook her head. She was in shock, and he knew he had to try and keep her talking. He kept at the conversation, until she snapped.

"Just leave me alone Dean." He drew back, hurt and confused. She shook her hand out of his. He sat back in the ambulance, wishing he were anywhere else but here. The tears rolled down Lara's face.

"I'm sorry Dean." They arrived at the hospital and took her straight to the emergency ward. They assessed her and admitted her almost instantly. Dean hung around long enough to tell everyone what room she was in, and then disappeared into the dark night.

Michelle and Heidi arrived a few hours later. The nurse had told them some of what had happened, and they asked Jordan to stay outside her room. Michelle walked in first.

"Oh, Lara." Lara's eyes welled up, and she burst out sobbing. Michelle crossed to her bed, and held her close, realising her need to just let it all out. Heidi came in next, and was unsure of what to do. Michelle motioned her over, and they sat down on either side of Lara's bed.

"What happened, Lara?" Asked Heidi, concern dripping from her voice.

"Dean had run after the guy who tried to grab me, and another stranger came up behind me, grabbed me and shoved me in a van. They took me somewhere and tortured me." She tried to reach for a tissue, but with the pain in her back, couldn't extend her arms far enough. Heidi leant over and put the tissue box on the bed and sat back, waiting.

"I didn't know what to do. They wanted me to say I didn't love Dean over and over again. They brought in a man and he did… he did horrible things." Her voice cracked and Michelle caressed her forehead.

"And they didn't want me to be so beautiful. They wanted Dean to despise my looks and leave me." She cried harder and this time, Heidi was the one to draw her close.

"We're going to get the guy Lara. Ian's working with the police, and they're going to find them and put them away." Michelle tried to comfort her. She swallowed, trying to re-compose herself.

"I need to see Dean. Do you guys know where he is?" They both shook their heads.

"No. He left just after he told us where you were."

"I really need to see him. Can you guys find him for me?" They exchanged glances with each other.

"Please?"

* * *

Dean kicked a rock along the road where he was walking. Cars flashed by, but they were becoming less frequent. A car honked its horn, and he ignored. Next thing he knew, the car was stopping in front of him. Kendra Bradfield got out.

"Dean? What are you doing?" He shook his head. He felt numb, no feelings. He just wanted to sleep. Kendra took him by the arm, and led him to her car.

"Come on. I'll take you home." She buckled him in, and drove away quickly. After ten minutes they pulled up in front of his house. He went to just get out and hoped she would leave, but she followed him in.

"I want to make sure you're ok." He nodded, unlocking the door. She watched him walk in the house. He sat upon the couch, not moving. She walked right in the door.

"I'll get as a glass of wine." He nodded dumbly. She poured two glasses, her back turned to him. She came and sat next to him, handing him the cup. He drank deeply, wanting to drown out everything that had happened in the day. She sipped hers. He started to feel blank, spaced out, and then he hit the floor, laughter reverberating around him as he blacked out.

He awoke the next morning, a pounding headache, nausea roiling in his stomach. He groaned. A body shifted next to him, and Kendra Bradfield's head appeared from under the covers.

"Good morning darling. How are you feeling today?" He answered her by sprinting for the bathroom, just making as his stomach emptied itself.

"Oh baby. I'll make you something to fix that." Kendra padded out of his bathroom, and he heard her in the kitchen. He picked up his phone and messaged Michelle.

 _I've been drugged. I need Ian's help_. She replied quickly.

_Where are you?_

_At ho.._. Kendra came in, and snatched his phone off him. She bumped the send button by accident as she handed him a glass.

"Drink this honey. It'll make you feel better." He drank it, and started throwing up again.

"Oh baby, I really think you should stay home from work today. You sound like you're really ill." She walked back out of the room. Dean crawled back to his bed, sweat pouring off his body. He heard a knock on the door and Chase's voice.

"Hey, I'm here to pick up Dean for work. Who are you?"

"I'm Dean's girlfriend Kendra. He never mentioned me?" Chase shook his head.

"Um… no. 'Fraid not." He tried to get inside.

"Uh-uh. You can't come in. Dean's really sick. Can you let Michelle know he won't be coming in today?" Ian walked up behind Chase.

"You!" He snarled. She dropped her guard and ran. Ian pushed Chase aside and tore after her. Chase ran inside, and opened Dean's door. He found Dean on his bed, sweating profusely, eyes glazed, breathing rapidly.

"Shit Dean, what did she do to you?" He pulled his medi-kit of his back. Ian came back in, panting.

"Did you get here?"

"She got away. But I can put a warrant out for her arrest." He looked at Dean.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's been drugged. Can you call us an ambulance? If we don't get his heart slowed down, he could go into cardiac arrest." Ian ran for the phone.

"Come on Dean. Stay with me." Dean was starting to shake as Chase checked him over. He was thankful when he heard the sirens of the approaching ambulance. They came in and put Dean on a stretcher.

"We'll take him to RPA." Chase nodded, and followed them out the door. Ian was sitting in his car with the door open.

"Will he be ok?"

"Yeah. He'll pull through. He's a Gallagher." Ian nodded.

"Good luck finding her Ian."

"Well, we have some leads. We think she might be the one who tortured Lara."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

"Team, we've got an MVA! Car versus petrol tanker. Car has flipped onto its roof, and the tanker is leaking petrol. Jake Hudson and the firies will meet you there! Go!" The team raced down the stairs, and drove off, sirens blaring. Jordan and Heidi were paired together again, and were talking while they were travelling.

"Have you thought any more about what you want for the wedding?"

"Not yet Jordan. I've got to get used to the idea of being engaged first! I want to throw a little party, invite friends, catch up, and let them know the news. It seems like all we ever do is work." He nodded.

"You do whatever you want to babe." He leant over and kissed her.

"Do you want to invite some of your old mates?"

"Nah, they're a little uncouth. Stick to your friends and the rescue team. We all get along really well." They arrived at the scene, Jake Hudson directing teams.

"Bout time you guys showed up. Where's Gallagher?"

"In hospital."

"Well, we've got a victim trapped in the car, and the tanker driver needs some oxygen. No sparks!" Jordan and Heidi dashed for the car. The roof had been compacted slightly, and most of the glass had shattered.

"Help me please!" Begged the young man. His arm was dangling crazily, and was bent at an odd angle.

"My arm, please." Jordan grabbed a splint, and moved to tape the arm to it. The man screamed as Jordan touched it. Heidi handed the man a green whistle, and he sucked on it deeply, calming down almost instantly. Jordan finished splinting him up, and then undid his seatbelt. Lachie and Chase had arrived by then, and Chase brought him a spine-board whilst Lachie looked after the tanker driver. Heidi and Jordan strapped their patient to the board, and carried him over to the waiting ambulance. Lachie was trying to get the patient out of the tanker cabin, and had grabbed a combi-tool. For Heidi and Jordan, the next five minutes were the slowest of their life. As the tool hit the cabin, a solitary spark flew off it, igniting the petrol. It lit almost instantly. Lachie jumped off the tanker and rolled back, trying to put out the fire on his uniform. The firies stepped forward and started to try and kill the fire. Jake dropped a fire blanket onto Lachie to put out the flames.

"Idiot!" he snarled. Jake ordered everyone out of the hot zone as the tanker took on more flames. With a boom, it exploded into a fiery inferno, taking the driver with it. Heidi turned away, and Jordan held her. Jake came tearing over.

"You idiots. I thought I told you no sparks!"

* * *

**RPA Hospital:**

Dean struggled to bring his eyes into focus on the stark walls that were his hospital room. He heard a knock on the door. It was Michelle.

"Are you up for a visitor?" He nodded. She opened the door wider and wheeled Lara in.

"Hey," she said quietly.

"How are you?" He croaked. Michelle sat at the side of the room.

"A little sore physically, but I'll heal. It's the psychological side they're worried about. I have to see a shrink for the next couple of months before I'm allowed back on the team." She looked down at her hands.

"I'm sorry Dean."

"For what Lara?"

"For not being beautiful." She cried into her chest. He reached a hand out and lifted up her chin.

"Hey. Look at me." She looked up at him reluctantly, tears staining her already scarring face.

"I think you're beautiful no matter what." She cried harder. He looked at Michelle for help. She came over and hugged Lara, and squatted down next to her.

"You can tell him. It's alright." She sniffled, and wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands.

"You can tell me Lara. I won't be angry or anything."

"I'm frightened Dean. I'm frightened of the world today. I can't even fathom going back outside anymore because I'm scared of what's going to happen. I can't face the thought of leaving this hospital, because I'm safe, and I feel secure here. I don't feel safe anymore Dean." She sobbed harder. Michelle gripped her hand, and looked up at Dean.

"Lara. No matter what happens, I will always be there for you. No matter what. I will protect you with my own life." She just cried. She looked at Michelle, who spoke for her.

"She doesn't feel like she's worth being loved by anyone any more. She doesn't feel like she deserves it." He looked at Lara.

"You deserve the world on a silver platter Lara." As he caressed her hand, Michelle felt it the ideal time to leave. It was getting late, and she needed to get home and relieve the baby-sitter. As she crossed to her car, she saw the note on it.

 _I told you to stay away from my man. You didn't listen, did you? Well, now it's your turn._  A thud on the ground indicated to Michelle that someone had just jumped down, and she swung around. A metal rod came swinging around, and caught her in the back of the head. She crumpled. Her attacker sniggered.

"Gotcha."

* * *

 

"Jordan?" Heidi was lying on his bed with him. They were enjoying a quiet night together.

"Mm?"

"Do you mind if I stayed the night?" He kissed the top of her head.

"Not at all babe. Why?"

"I just don't want to be home alone. What with Lara being tortured, I don't want to be next. I want to be here in your safe arms." He sought out her lips, and kissed her. She smiled at him.

"You can stay as long as you want."

* * *

Ian awoke to his phone ringing.

"Hello?" He said blearily.

"Mr Johnson, Ms Letourneau hasn't come home, and I really need to go. Can you come and collect James?" Ian sat up in bed.

"Cindy, what time was she supposed to be home?"

"Um, about four hours ago." He swore at himself, and madly tried to dress one handed.

"I'll be there in about twenty minutes." He hung up, and continued the task of dressing. He arrive nineteen minutes later at Michelle's door, and knocked. Cindy opened it.

"Thank goodness," she exclaimed upon seeing him.

"Did you try ringing her?" Cindy nodded.

"No answer. It went to voicemail."

"Ok Cindy, thanks. I'll see you next week." He paid her a little extra for her overtime, and she left. James was asleep in the crib, sucking his thumb peacefully. Ian grabbed a blanket off Michelle's bed, and settled himself upon the couch.

When he awoke the next morning, and Michelle still hadn't arrived home, concern began gnawing at his mind. He could hear James squalling in his crib, and went into the nursery.

"Hey little man. Guess you're coming to work with me today hey?" James cooed and gurgled at Ian. He dressed him, and packed his bag, and headed to work. He rang Vince on the way.

"Hello, Vince Marchello."

"Vince, have you heard from Michelle?"

"No. Why?"

"She didn't come home last night."

"Who's got James?"

"I do. Listen, can you let me know if you hear from her?"

"Sure thing Ian." They both hung up. Ian cooed at James.

"Can you tell me where mummy is Jamie?"

* * *

 _Tell me you don't love him!_  Lara awoke in her hospital bed, screaming. A frightened nurse came in.

"Ma'am, is everything alright?" Lara nodded, tearing slightly. The nurse left the room. Dean walked in, fresh clothed, clean faced. He took in the tears.

"Hey, what happened?" He came over to her and held her close, and handed her a tissue for the tears.

"Nothing. Just a nightmare." Chase stuck his head in.

"Want some visitors?" Heidi, Jordan and Lachie followed in after him.

"Guys, I didn't want you seeing me like this." She started to fret over how she looked, picking at the sheets nervously. Lachie sat on the edge of her bed.

"Hey gorgeous." She fiddled nervously with her IV line.

"You're just saying that."

"I'm not. You are gorgeous no matter what the outside looks like." Chase's phone rang, and Lara jumped a little. Lachie calmed her down with a hand on hers. Chase stepped outside to answer it.

"So when are they springing you from here?" Asked Heidi.

"They're not sure. They need to monitor some of the burns. They're really deep, and they're worried about infection setting in some of them. The ones on my back are massive. So, probably not for a week or two." Chase stepped back into the room.

"Guys, that was Vince. Michelle's gone missing."

* * *

Michelle came to, bound to a chair. She felt a growing uneasiness inside of her. Her masked captor stood in front of her.  
"I went through this with Lara. Can we try it with you?" Michelle shook her head.

"I want to see theatrics. Tears, the works. Tell me you don't love Dean."

"I don't love Dean," Michelle whispered. The attacker shook their head.

"Not enough emotion." They whacked her across the shins.

"I don't love Dean! It was a one night stand!" Another shot across the shins.

"Hmm. One night stand hey? Big Lug over here doesn't want you then. You're tainted goods." She felt a knife scrape across her wrists. Hot breath on her ear.

"So instead, I just going to torture you until I get tired of it, and then maybe I'll let you go." A maniacal laugh sounded from her captor. Michelle shifted her weight, and swung the chair around. It caught her torturer in the face. They swore, and wiped some blood off.

"Bitch! Now I'm really going to hurt you!" A stinging slap across the face. Another. Then a whip was pulled out. Michelle gasped.

"You like my new toy?" They held their hand up high, and brought the whip crashing down upon Michelle's arms. At first, nothing, but then the pain seared through.

"Ten of them a day should keep you on track."

"Please, no. What about my little boy?"

"He'll be fine." They raised the whip again.

"No!"

* * *

Dean stood in the office, Ian with him. James was being occupied by Heidi and Jordan. Lachie had decided to stay at the hospital with Lara.

"What's going on Gallagher?" Dean shrugged his shoulders.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Something's got to be going on. First Lara, now Michelle. Who have you ticked off?"

"Ian, if I had any idea, I'd be out there now, not sitting here twiddling my thumbs…" He petered off.

"What?"

"What if the same thing's happening right now to Michelle? We need to start searching from where we found Lara in the alley. Fan out from there. Someone has to have heard something." Ian nodded.

"Take your team, and we'll head that way now."

* * *

It was quiet. Too quiet for Michelle's liking. She looked around trying to take in some of her surroundings. An array of tools sat on the floor, blood staining some of them. She called out into the vast empty space.

"What do you want with me?"

"Why am I here?"

"Hello?"

"Anyone?" A deafening silence filled the room. Someone stepped out of the shadows.

"I'm here. Don't know if that helps you, but I feel like I would like some acknowledgment. So how's dear Ian? I haven't heard from him for a while. I almost expect him to be breaking down this door at any moment." Michelle hung her head. They pulled it back, using her hair.

"Listen to me when I'm talking to you!" A cracking whip resounded in the room as it slashed its way across Michelle's arms.

"Why are you doing this to me?" She cried.

"Because Dean will never take me. He took that stupid Lara girl, and he had a one night stand with you. Last person left to screw up is Heidi. Too bad she's getting married!"

"So why me? I only ever slept with him once. I never had true feelings for him."

"See, this is true theatrics. I almost believe you. Almost." A crack across the shins with a metal pipe came with the last remark.

"Please. Let me leave."

* * *

 _Tell me you don't love him. You're a liar. I still didn't believe it._  Lara sat upright in her bed. Sweat pouring off her. Lachie had opted to stay with her this time, and had fallen asleep with his head on her bed. She reached for the bowl near the bed and retched. Lachie woke up fairly quickly.

"Hey," he said groggily. She heaved again. He grabbed a cool washcloth from her tiny bathroom, and some paper towel. After she'd finished, he handed her the paper towel.

"Thanks," she said weakly. He used the cloth to sponge down her already dampened face. He checked her monitor.

"You have a slight fever. Do you feel alright?"

"Just a bit nauseous."

"That must have been one hell of a nightmare." She tried to hold back the tears, but it was no use. They overflowed quickly, falling down onto the bed.

"Hey. Hey. Don't cry." He wiped away the tears with the washcloth. He sat on the bed, and she leant forward for a hug.

"I'm just frightened of falling asleep. Every time I do, I have a nightmare, or something like this happens. I just feel… vulnerable."

"You know that Dean and I will always be here no matter what. We will get the person that did this to you Lara. We will find them."

"I hope so Lachie. I hope you find Michelle too."

"We will, Lara. We will."

* * *

Her tormentor checked their watch.

"Time to move her out. This time though, drug her. We don't need her remembering this place. Dose her up good." One of the guards approached her with an oxygen mask. Michelle knew it wasn't your regular oxygen.

"No!" Michelle screamed. It was no use. She was tied to a chair. She couldn't move or escape as he came to her with the gas filled tank. He placed the mask over her face.

"No! Please… no… plea…" She fell forward.

"Untie her. We leave her for Ian and Dean to find now. They can deal with the hallucinogenic drugs in her system and the raving." The masked men nodded, and lifted her slight body. They threw her in the back of the van. They were given instructions where to drop her. They knew if they didn't follow the schedule, they didn't get paid.

* * *

Ian and Dean were scouring a crowded alley when the heard a van drive past. They both froze, like rabbits caught in headlights. Something was dumped by two men into the dumpster. They hopped back in the vehicle, and sped away. Dean and Ian looked at each other, and continued with their search. They walked past the giant green bin, thinking nothing of it… until it moaned. The glanced at it, then back at each other. They jumped up and flung the top open, not knowing what they'd find. What they did find shocked them both.

"Michelle!"

* * *

**RPA Hospital:**

Ian sat in the ward with Michelle, watching her as she slept. James had been left with a baby-sitter. **  
**

"Michelle, what did they do to you?" He was angry, a cloud of fury hanging over his head. He couldn't understand how someone could do this to another human being. She shifted, opening her eyes a little.

"Hi," he said softly. She looked confused, eyes blinking rapidly.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital. We found you yesterday afternoon."

"Why are you here?"

"Because I… was concerned. I just needed to know you were ok."

"How did you know I was missing?"

"Cindy rang me late two nights ago, asking if I could come get James. She needed to get home. I showed up and looked after James for the rest of the night, and when I woke up the next morning and you still weren't home, I knew something wasn't right. We spent all day looking for you." The pain in his eyes was evident.

"It was only a day?" He nodded. Michelle took stock of her body. Most of it was covered by a sheet, hiding her injuries from view. She flung it off and gasped. She had whip marks across her arms and legs, and heavy bruising on her shins. She gingerly felt the back of her head and cringed.

"They knocked you out before they took you. Your car is still here." She looked him in the eyes, the unspoken question hanging between them

"James is fine. Cindy came back this morning so I could sit here with you. Dean stayed with you all night." Michelle pulled the sheet back over herself, covering the ugly marks.

"Please. Can you go?" He stared at her blankly.

"Leave Ian." When he didn't move, she yelled at him.

"Get out!"

* * *

After spending the night in Michelle's room, Dean trudged towards Lara's room. He relieved Lachie, who disappeared home to shower and change, and take a decent nap. Lara took in his despondent face when he entered her room.

"Oh Dean." He sat heavily on the chair next to her bed. She took his hand in hers.

"What happened?"

"We found her. She's been quite abused, and then they gassed her. We were scouring an alley for clues when they discarded her into dumpster. When Ian and I pulled her out, she was pretty out of it. I stayed with her last night while Ian took care of James, and then we changed shifts this morning." Lara sat up a bit higher in bed, and rested her hand on his back.

"You should go home. Get some sleep." He shook his head.

"I'll stay here with you. How are you doing today?"

"Better. They're giving me antibiotics to fight off an infection. I'm still having nightmares, but the doctor says they'll take time to go away." She smiled at him.

"I'll be ok."

"You up for a visitor?" Cam Jackson sat in the doorway in his wheelchair. He had progressed from a powered wheelchair to a manual one.

"Cam? What are you doing here?" She looked at Dean, who shook his head.

"Wasn't me Lara."

"It's circulating all Rescue companies at the moment, the attacks on you and Michelle. The rest of LifeBlood wanted to pop in and say hi, but seeing as they're all in Queensland, it wasn't really possible. I, however, am still based in Sydney. Thought I'd drop in and say hello, see how you are." He took in her bruised face and her burnt arms. He whistled softly.

"Geez I'd love to be able to help catch the brute that did this to you." She played with her sheets nervously. Dean got up to leave, and she grabbed his arm.

"Please. Stay." He sat back down. Cam wheeled himself around to the other side of the bed, taking her hand. She wanted desperately to pull away from him, but allowed him the moment.

"I'm sorry Lara. I should never have left you. Maybe you'd never be in this mess." She snatched her hand away.

"What are you saying?"

"If I had of stayed around, kept you in my life, then maybe this wouldn't have happened." She snapped.

"This is not Dean's fault. This isn't anyone's fault! Don't you dare go and blame anybody for what happened. Whoever did this, it is their fault. No-one else's." Cam reeled back, shocked at the sudden outburst.

"Listen, can you leave? I don't know if I want to talk to you anymore." He hung his head low.

"Please Lara. I just want to spend time with you." She rolled over, facing Dean. Dean peered over her at Cam, and shrugged his shoulders. Cam nodded, and wheeled himself to the door.

"I'll come back every day Lara. If that's how long it takes to convince you that I'm not going to leave, then I'll put in the effort." He left. Lara let loose the tears she had been struggling to hold back.

"Shh." Dean soothed her gently.

"Promise me you won't ever leave me Dean."

"I promise Lara."

* * *

The Sydney Rescue Unit had been closed today, and all rescues were being diverted to other rescue headquarters. Jordan and Heidi took the day off as an opportunity to spend some quality time together. They were walking the beach, holding hands. Jordan had been surfing earlier, and was adamant that he would try to teach Heidi. She swore of it for good after falling off so many times, a fellow surfer laughed himself of his own board.

"I love you babe." She stopped and reached up to kiss him.

"I love you too Jordan." It was about sunset, and they picked a spot on the sand, and sat and watched as the sun continued its descent, getting closer and closer to the horizon. The lifeguards had gone home, and the beach was near deserted. Heidi and Jordan locked lips, enjoying the moment together. Heidi broke off the kiss when she noticed something in the water.

"Jordan? What is that?" He looked out across the waves.

"What babe?" As he looked closer, he noticed an individual struggling against the current.

"Is that Sam Marchello?" Jordan ran into the waves.

"Stay on the beach!" He called back. He dove under the waves, feeling like he was returning home. He was a strong swimmer, but the current still had the potential to drag him out. He surfaced for air, and dove again. As he approached Sam, the boy noticed he was there, and latched hold of him, pushing Jordan under the surface. Heidi stood on the sand, watching as Jordan struggled with Sam. She wrung her hands nervously. Jordan fought to get control of Sam. Sam let go of him as he ducked under the pounding waves a second time, and didn't resurface. Jordan dove for him, pulling him to the surface. He wasn't breathing. Jordan powered his way to shore, Sam's limp body in tow. Heidi ran down to the edge of the surf.

"Jordan, is he alright?"

"He's not breathing Heidi."

* * *

Michelle sat upright in her bed, sweat pouring off her face. She'd just had a nightmarish dream, and it was vivid. She struggled to regain control of her breathing, and noticed Dean sitting in the chair near her bed, head back as he caught some precious sleep. She smiled, and laid back. She needed to go to the bathroom, but needed help getting out of bed.

"Dean." She whispered it at first.

"Dean." He snapped awake.

"Hi Michelle."

"Dean, I need your help. I need to get up." He nodded, and helped her untangle her IV lines, and helped her stand. She felt weak, like she'd been sick for weeks.

"Are you alright getting over to the bathroom?" She nodded. She took a step, and a wave of dizziness washed over her. She felt herself falling forward, and was powerless to stop it. Dean's strong arms snapped out, and he caught her before she hit the floor.

"I'll help you get over there," he said, amusement filling his voice. As they walked slowly over to the bathroom, Michelle asked about Lara.

"How is she?"

"She's better. Still not well enough to leave, but she'll get there. You, on the hand, will be released from her in a day or two. Lara still has around a week left."

"Oh. Ok. Wait, if you're here, who's with Lara?"

"Lachie. We take it in shifts. If I'm with Lara, he's here with you so you never wake up alone." She nodded.

"I'll take it from here." Dean waited outside the door until she was done, and helped her back over to her bed.

"So what's happening with James?" Dean tucked her blankets around her, and settled her back in, and sat down.

"Ian's taking him at night, and Cindy's got him through the day." She nodded. Dean's phone rang, and he answered.

"Yeah Chase, what's up?" He was silent as he listened, concern and worry on his face.

"What?"

"Ok, I'll call Vince." He closed his phone.

"What was that about?"

"Jordan and Heidi picked Sam up at one of the local beaches. He's drowned."

* * *

"Come on Sam, you can do this!" Heidi continued the CPR on him, Jordan helping.

"What the hell was he doing out there?" She counted her compressions, desperately wishing for a defibrillator. They both felt the tension in the air. Sam spluttered a little.

"Come on Sam, you can do this! Jordan, he's bradycardic. We need his heart to go faster, his blood's not being oxygenated enough." He coughed a little more.

"Roll him into recovery." Heidi made sure Sam's airways were clear, as he brought up what seemed like litres of seawater.

"Sammy!" Jordan looked up to see Vince barrelling down the sand towards them. He dropped next to Sam.

"What were you doing out here mate? You know I don't like you swimming after lifeguard hours." Sam shook his head. He hurt all over, exhausted from trying to outswim the powerful current, chest painful from the force used to restart his heart and get him breathing. He closed his eyes.

"Stay with us Sam, don't close your eyes," said Heidi.

"Not closing my eyes," he mumbled.

"You need to stay awake Sam."

"Mmph," he whispered, coherent speech beyond him now.

"Sam? What's wrong mate?"

"Can't get enough air." He coughed, his eyes glassy.

"Sam?" Heidi checked him over.

"He's alright for the moment Vince. We need to get him to a hospital soon; he's at risk for secondary drowning. The medical team from the ambulance sprinted along the dunes, bringing with them oxygen. They attached a mask to his face, and turned on the oxygen. The colour was slowly returning to his face.

"We need to take him to hospital, monitor him for pulmonary edema." The loaded him onto a gurney, Sam clutching his chest.

"Dad," he whispered, urgency in his voice. Vince jogged alongside him

"What's up mate?" Sam coughed harder, and tried to breathe deeply. He winced as he felt the pain in his chest increase.

"I can't breathe."

"You'll be right mate, we'll get you to hospital, they can look after you there." Vince climbed into the back of the ambulance, helping the ambos put the stretcher in. They sped away, sirens blaring as they wove through traffic. They hooked monitors up to Sam's body. As soon as the sensors picked up his vitals, they started beeping.

"What's wrong?" Asked Vince, craning his neck to see the screen.

"He's not getting enough oxygen." As they looked at Sam, his face was becoming a pale blue as he struggled to inhale.

"Come on Sammy, you can do this. Fight it!" Sam took a deep breath, and was still.

"Sam? Sam!"

* * *

 

In the hospital, the doctors and nurses swarmed over Sam's body. Vince tried to hover, but was soon pushed away by nurses.

"Sir, let us do our job."

"But that's my son in there!"

"I know, sir, but we need you out here." Vince sat down, a tired look crossing over his face. He pulled out his phone and dialled his ex-wife, Sam's mum.

"Hey."

"What's going on?"

"Sam's in the hospital."

"What? What happened?" Vanessa's voice was frantic.

"He was out in the surf, and he was drowning. It was only that Jordan Zwitkowski was out there that he was rescued."

"Well? Is he alright?" Vince could have cried.

"They're trying to restart his heart."

"I'm coming down there. I'm bringing Kate with me."

"No, don…" Vanessa had already hung up. Vince didn't want to face the wrath of his ex-wife, for apparently letting Sammy into the water. After ten minutes, a doctor came out.

"Vince Marchello?" He stood up.

"We've restarted Sam's heart, but we're worried about the possibility of brain damage. We'll keep him here in hospital under strict observation until we've determined the extent." Vince sat down heavily on the chair again.

"Is there anyone we can call for you sir?"

"My ex-wife is coming in to see Sam. I've got friends up in another ward. Do you mind contacting them for me?" The doctor nodded, and pulled a nurse aside.

"Give Shannon here the details, and she can let them know for you." Vince nodded, the colour draining from his face.

"Sammy?" Vanessa came rushing in, Kate trailing behind her.

"Dad!"

"Grommet!" She ran forward to him, and hugged him.

"Are you alright? You've gone really pale." He waved her off.

"I'll be fine."

"Where is he? What's going on?" Demanded Vanessa.

"They got his heart started, but they're worried about brain damage. They'll keep him here until they know." She turned on him, angry.

"This is all your fault."

"My fault? He was staying at your place this weekend! He's your responsibility Vanessa, not mine."

"Dad, plea…" Kate tried to interrupt.

"If he didn't have a father who was risking his life all the time, maybe he wouldn't feel the need to be like you all the time! You're such a bad influence on him!" Their argument had escalated to full blown screaming match. Kate was watching her parents, tears in her eyes. It brought back memories of being younger, and them fighting at night like this. She stood up.

"Stop it! Both of you! You're arguing worse than Sam and I do!" Vanessa and Vince looked at Kate, shock and disapproval in their eyes.

"Don't inter… inter…" Vince clutched his chest. He knew exactly what was going on.

"Dad?" He gasped for air, the pain in his chest incredible.

"Kat… Need… doc."

"I'm not leaving you. Mum, we need a doctor, and quick." Vanessa tottered off in her heels, and returned quickly with a doctor in tow.

"What's the…?" He stopped as he realised what was going on. He snapped his fingers, and almost a dozen nurses where crowded around.

"He's having a heart attack." Kate was ushered away, just as Chase came downstairs. They put Vince in a wheelchair, and took him away to the cardiac unit, leaving Vanessa behind to fret over Sam.

"Grommet? What's going on?" She ran to Chase, and he enfolded his arms around her. Chase was like the older brother she always wished she had.

"Sam drowned today. Mum and Dad were arguing over whose fault it was that Sam was out there, and then he had a heart attack." She cried on his shirt, and he soothed her. Vanessa shot him a dirty look.

"Is Sam going to be ok?"

"They're not sure. His brain was oxygen deprived for too long, and they don't know if he'll have permanent brain damage." He looked at Vanessa.

"It's all Vince's fault. If he reigned in Sam once in a while, we wouldn't be here for a second time." Kate snapped at Vanessa.

"Don't you dare blame Dad for this! It was your weekend with both of us; you were the one who should have had control of him. Blame yourself if you want to blame someone!" Chase couldn't believe his ears.

"Kate, maybe we should take this outside."

"No. Can we go elsewhere? She can look out for Sam." Vanessa.

"Young lady, you will not be leaving. You will be sitting her by my side until we hear more news about your brother."

"I will not." Chase felt torn, but eventually took Kate away. Vanessa scowled.

"So why are you here?"

"Michelle and Lara are upstairs in one of the wards. Dean and Lachie have been taking turns staying with them, and I thought I'd pop in and say hi. We got the message that Vince needed us in emergency, but I didn't realise it was because of himself."

"It wasn't. It was because of Sam." He led her up the stairs.

"What happened to Michelle and Lara?"

"They were attacked by someone."

"Can I see them?"

"I suppose. I can't see why not." He led her to Lara's room first.

"Grommet! What are you doing here?" Kate took a tentative step into Lara's room.

"Sam drowned at the beach today." Shock crossed Lara's face.

"Is he ok?" Another step forward. Chase stood at the door.

"His heart stopped. They're worried about his brain being deprived of oxygen for too long. They're keeping him here until the decide if there's any damage." She made it to Lara's bedside. She touched her wrists.

"Lara, what did they do?" Lara glanced at Chase.

"I'd tell you, but I don't think you need to know right now. What's going on with you?"

"Mum and Dad are fighting again. I thought when they got divorced it would be better, but if anything, it's worse." She sat in the chair next to Lara's bed. Lara looked over Kate's head at Chase, and nodded her assent for him to leave. Dean and Lachie were with Michelle, and he'd relieve one of them so they could go home, eat and change, and maybe take a nap.

"Lara, Dad had another heart attack today. They took him away to the cardiac ward." She let the tears roll down her face unheeded. She put her head on Lara's bed and cried. Lara stroked her back.

"What am I going to do?"

* * *

Jordan and Heidi were back at Jordan's house. Heidi was sipping a glass of wine, and Jordan was making Italian for them.

"It's been such a crazy day," she commented.

"Yeah. I haven't heard anything from Vince yet as to how Sam is."

"Do you want to know? I'll call Chase, and get him to find out for us if you want." He came over and kissed her on the lips.

"Thanks babe." She pulled out her phone and called Chase. He answered after the first ring.

"Hey Chasie. Listen, can you find Vince and find out…" Her voice trailed off. Jordan looked at her.

"Wha…?" She silenced him with a raised hand. Jordan went back to cooking dinner.

"Ok Chase. Thanks." She ended the phone call and put her phone on the kitchen bench.

"What's going on babe?"

"Sam's heart stopped on the way to the hospital. His brain was deprived of oxygen for too long, and they suspect brains damage." Jordan was silent. He turned to look at her.

"Is he ok?"

"They got his heart and lungs going again, and Vince called Vanessa."

"There's fun just in that."

"Anyway, they started fighting. Vince had another heart attack." Jordan shook his head.

"He really needs to slow down, doesn't he?" She nodded. Jordan served up their meal, and they ate it in silence, absorbed in their own thoughts. After their meal, they cleaned up together, and sat on the lounge, Heidi cuddled up against Jordan's chest. He leaned down and kissed her. Tonight, that was all it took.

Heidi woke up the next morning in Jordan's bed, his arm draped over her shoulder, his body heat keeping her warm. She sighed blissfully, and snuggled deeper.

"Hey babe." He kissed her neck.

"What are the plans for today?"

"Well, I thought we could stay in bed all day, enjoy each other's company." She giggled as his hands roamed her body. Her phone rang.

"Jordan!" She pushed his hands away as she reached for it.

"Heidi."

"Oh, that's great."

"Yeah Dean, we'll see you there." She hung up.

"What was that about?"

"We've got to go in today. Michelle's been released from hospital, and Ian needs to talk to us." He sighed and rolled over.

"Guess that means we have to get up."

"We could stay here a little longer."

* * *

Kate had fallen asleep, her head resting on Lara's bed. Dean stuck his head in.

"Hey, Michelle's being released today. Are you right here with Grommet?" She nodded. Dean jumped in his car and headed for Rescue HQ. When he got there, he noticed Ian's car out the front. Lachie was bringing Michelle in later, after she'd finished filling in all her forms, and had passed her psychiatric assessment.

"What's going on?" He asked Chase.

"Ian wants to talk to use about something. We've got to wait for Michelle to get here though." Dean nodded, and sat at his desk, filling in paperwork, catching up on a work emails. He opened one, and motioned for Ian to come over.

"Ian, I got an email from Kendra Bradfield. It's pretty abusive." Ian read through it, and pulled out a USB drive.

"Put it on that, I'll take it over to the station later, get them to track it." Chase rolled his chair over and read it over his shoulder.

"Wow Dean. What did you do to her?"

"What did she do to me? She's the one who drugged me up." They heard a car in the drive. Lachie had pulled up with Michelle. As she walked slowly up the stairs, the team let out a cheer. Jordan and Heidi walked up the stairs behind her.

"Oh good, Michelle's here." Ian directed them into Michelle's office.

"We've haven't had any leads on your case so far. We're waiting to hear back from some detectives who are also on the case, but we've got nothing." Michelle stood up.

"How can you have nothing? They tried to kill me!" She shook with anger. Rage filled her entire being.

"This is unacceptable, Ian."

* * *

Kate woke up, confused as to why she was in a hospital. Lara was reading a magazine, sheets pulled up.

"Hey sleepyhead." Kate yawned.

"What have I missed?"

"They discharged Michelle this morning. It's just me left in the hospital. They updated me on Sam, he's doing better. He's not awake yet, but he's been downgraded from critical. Your Dad's coming around later too." Kate smiled.

"Grommet, your still here?"

"Dad!" She turned to see him in the doorway, wheelchair and all. She ran to him.

"Thank goodness you're ok." She hugged him tight, and then sat back in the chair near Lara's bed.

"She been good Lara?"

"Nah Vince, she's been horrible!" They laughed.

"How's your heart going?"

"It'll get there. Some new medication to drop my blood pressure, and I need to watch what I eat, but hey. I'm Vince Marchello! I'm invincible."

"Dad, you're not." He laughed.

"So what have you two been up two in here?"

"Nothing Dad. Listen, I want to talk to you about something important."

"Oh, really?"

"I want to live with you. No more Mum, just with you." He stared in disbelief.

"Grommet, that's a big decision."

"There's more Dad."

"More? How much more can I take."

"I want to join Rescue."

* * *

 

It was a week later. Lara had finally been discharged, and had been permitted to work desk duties alongside Vince until she had her psych appointment. Kate came in with Vince, first morning. Lara dashed past her for the bathrooms, covering her mouth as she ran past.

"What's with her?"

"No idea. See Michelle in her office, you've got some paperwork to fill in Grommet."

"Dad!" She groaned, and headed straight into Michelle's office. Dean, Chase and Lachie were already there, working, when Dean pushed himself away from the computer.

"What's up Deano?" Asked Vince.

"You know that chick? Kendra Bradfield? She's actually someone escaped from Long Bay Jail. She was caught this morning, and Ian's coming in. He reckons he's got some good news." Heidi and Jordan came up the stairs as Lara walked out of the bathroom, wiping her mouth.

"You ok Lara?" She shook her head. As she smelled Jordan's cologne, she put her hand to her face.

"Not again!" She ran back inside, retching.

"What's her problem?" Everyone shook their heads, and a few shrugged their shoulders.

"Hey, what's Grommet doing here?"

"She's a part of your rescue team now guys. A junior, like an apprentice. Treat her like one of you, but still know she's only nineteen. Watch what you do to her," Vince warned them all. They heard footsteps up the stairs. It was Ian. Vince spoke.

"Hey Detective Johnson."

"I've got news for you all."

"Hope its good news mate," said Vince.

"It is. Kendra Bradfield is an escaped prisoner from Long Bay. She's an accomplished torturer, and has the ability to focus her attention on someone. She picked you Dean. She had it in her mind that Michelle and Lara were no good for you, so she sought to teach them a lesson. She's a little crazed."

"So where is she now then?"

"We got her last night after a car accident. She's back in custody, and will be transported back today."

"I think that calls for drinks tonight, my shout!" Called Vince. The team cheered. Lara came out of the bathroom. Sweat poured down her face, and her short her was plastered to her face and neck.

"Are you ok Lara?" Asked Heidi. She walked over towards her. Lara took a step forward, nausea and dizziness filling her being.

"I don't know." She fainted, collapsing on the floor.

"Dean?" He leapt over his chair, and crouched down next to her.

"She's running a fever," he noted.

"Pulse is a bit thready." She started to stir.

"Lara, are you alright?" Heidi gripped one of her hands.

"Make him move," she whispered.

"What?"

"Move." Heidi looked at Dean, who stood up and stepped back. Lara rolled over, heaving. Heidi stroked her back. She looked up at Jordan.

"Babe, can you grab me a damp washcloth?" He nodded, and disappeared into the kitchenette. Heidi rubbed Lara's back, as she dry heaved on the floor. Michelle and Kate appeared out of the office.

"What's going on?" Asked Kate. Heidi shrugged her shoulders. Lara rolled back over, sweat glistening on her face and forehead. Jordan reappeared and handed Heidi the washcloth. She wiped Lara's face down.

"Alright boys, away with you all. Grommet, Lara, Heidi. In my office." Michelle shooed them all away. Kate and Heidi helped Lara stand, and took her into Michelle's office. The boys stood there, stunned. Ian bade them all farewell and disappeared.

"Do think we'll be let in the secret?"

* * *

An hour later, the girls emerged from Michelle's offie.

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah Vince, it's fine."

"Good, cause we've just had a callout. Grommet, you're with Chase. Lachie, with Dean, and Jordan and Heidi-Ho."

"What's the callout for Dad?"

"Car accident. Take notes Grommet. Dean, she's in your care while she's out there. Watch her." He nodded, and they headed out. Lara sat behind her desk, eyes rimmed red. Michelle put a hand on her back.

"Do you want me to take you home?" Lara shook her head.

"No Michelle. I'll stay here. Give me some work to do, something to take my mind off things." Michelle nodded, handing her a stack of files.

"These need updating. Think you handle that?"

"So an MVA is a motor vehicle accident?" Said Kate.

"That's right," said Chase, turning into the street. A truck carrying a load of metal pipes had lost its load whilst traveling, and had wiped out several cars, leaving passengers with an array of injuries, and had hit pedestrians hard. The whole team arrived around the same time, and toppled out of the vehicles. Dean took control, chucking Kate a radio.

"Grommet, you're now Rescue Portable Seven." She grinned.

"Ok, Heidi and Jordan, take two of the cars. Lachie, the driver. Chase and Grommet, take any pedestrians. I'll take the impalement victim." The team spread out.

"Is this what it's always like?" Asked Kate. Chase nodded.

"Yep. Always is." She smiled.

"This is exactly where I want to be then." They headed toward the group of pedestrians. Chase looked at them.

"Just cuts and grazes at the moment. Treat them, and then move on. Dean might need some help at some point too." She nodded. Chase and Kate got into a good rhythm, working at a steady pace. They were going well, until one of the pedestrians was drunk. Kate ended up with him.

"Sir, I need to treat this wound." He pushed at her hands.

"Please." He lashed out at her, catching her in the nose. He bolted. She felt the blood on her face.

"Eugh. Chase! Can I get some help?"

"Hang on Grommet!' Dean heard her cries.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Seven, what's the problem Grommet?"

"Some guy just clocked me one in the face." Dean referred his patient to Jordan, and came running over. He lifted her chin.

"Show me." The blood trickled down her face.

"Just a bloody nose. You'll be fine Grommet. Consider yourself initiated."

"Some initiation guys. This sucks!" Dean chuckled.

"I've got an impalement victim. Do you want to come learn?" She nodded. He pulled her up.

"Let's do this."

After a full day of rescuing, Kate was just about wiped. She was sitting in the locker room when Heidi came in, just as bouncy as ever.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Just perk up after a rescue like that. Where do you find the energy?" Heidi laughed.

"Don't worry Grommet. You learn the ability to just cope with it." Heidi slammed her locker shut, and leant on it.

"Girls night at my place tonight. Do you wanna come?"

"Sure."

"I've invited Michelle and Lara as well. It'll be fun."

"Yeah, I reckon Lara needs some girly time." Heidi nodded.

"What time?"

"I'm going to take you all back to my place in an hour, sound good to you?"

* * *

They were sitting at Heidi's place drinking wine, and eating expensive chocolates. Lara was finally smiling again.

"Thanks guys, I really needed this." They nodded.

"Listen, I'm getting tired. Do you mind if I crash?"

"Well, actually, Dean's coming to get you, take you back to his place. He misses you Lara, why do you think he was staying in hospital all that time?" Kate giggled, a little tipsy from drinking so much.

"As for you missy, your Dad's coming to get you." Kate sobered quickly. A knock on the door alerted them to the fact Dean was there. Lara met him at the door.

"Hey. Thanks for taking me home." He took her duffel bag off her shoulder, and chucked it in his car.

"I told you I'd always be there for you." They drove in silence back to Dean's house. He let her inside.

"I set up the spare room for you."

"Thanks Dean." She unpacked her clothes onto the bed, and took her toiletries into the adjacent bathroom. She pulled out a pregnancy test, and read the instructions. She knew the possibility of it being positive was slim, but her doctor had warned her, after the rape when she was held captive, that she might be pregnant. She had refused to take the test at the hospital, preferring to do it in privacy. She completed the task, and waited the five minutes. She read the test, and sat on the floor, and cried.

* * *

An hour later, Dean knocked on the bathroom door.

"Lara, are you ok?"

"No," she sobbed. He tried to open the door, but she had locked it.

"Lara, unlock the door." She got up off the floor and crossed over, and unclipped the lock. He opened the door.

"Lara, what's wrong?" She handed him the test wordlessly. He looked at it.

"Does this say what I think it says?" She nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm pregnant Dean."


	4. 4-4: Hike

_EPISODE 4.4 – Hike._

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

"Righto team, we've had a callout to the Blue Mountains. We've got missing hikers; we need to set up a search and rescue, and co-ordinate with the other area teams." Vince looked around at his team.

"Anyone know where Dean and Lara are?" The team looked at each other, shrugging.

"Haven't heard from Lara since Dean picked her up two nights ago," commented Heidi.

"Well then, Jordan, you're in charge. Grommet, today you're with Lachie instead. Maybe he can stop you from getting hurt this time." Lachie sniggered, and Chase punched him in the arm.

"Shotgun!" Cried Kate, running down the stairs. Chase groaned.

"Come on Chasie boy. Let's go," said Lachie, slapping his little brother on the back. They climbed into the first patrol and started driving.

"So what exactly do we do in a search and rescue?" Asked Kate.

"Exactly that. We search, and we rescue if needed," answered Chase from the back seat in the patrol.

"So who are we searching for?" He opened up the folder, looking at the files Vince had passed to him on his way out.

"A couple. They left yesterday, and didn't return last night. They had a strange phone call from them, and now we get to go and find them." Kate nodded. They pulled up into a bushland clearing. Michelle had travelled in her own SUV, following the rest of the team down, coming as the group co-ordinator, and to liaise with the other rescue groups. Lachie opened the back of the patrol, and passed Chase and Kate a medi-kit each, slinging one on his own back. Jordan and Heidi set up the tent, and settled Michelle in.

"Chase, you're with me." He moaned. Michelle grinned.

"Jordan and Heidi, you're Alpha Team. Lachie and Grommet, you're Delta Team." She handed them maps.

"We're doing a standardized grid-search. Your areas are marked. Stick to them." She waved them off. The two teams split off in opposite directions. Kate crashed through the bush, Lachie close behind her.

"I just don't understand how people can get lost in here." She brushed aside a frond, and ducked under a tree branch.

"If something can go wrong, often, it will go wrong." She laughed.

"How long does it usually take to find people like this?"

"Usually three, maybe four hours. That was when they had the chopper. Now, a little longer. Not more than twenty-four hours." He ducked under a tree branch, and jumped a fallen log.

"Hello?" They both stopped, silent.

"Hello? Anyone?" Lachie and Kate looked at each other. She bolted first.

"Grommet! Slow down!" Lachie gave chase after her, hurtling through the foliage. Kate disappeared from view, seeming to drop out of his line of sight. He heard a scream.

"Grommet! Kate!"

* * *

**Sydney Suburbs:**

Dean sat on his couch, head cradled in his hands. Lara was asleep at the moment, but soon she'd be awake, throwing up again. He didn't know what to do, how to help her. She'd spent most of Saturday night crying on his shoulder, and last night, she'd been angry. Furious enough to break things. She'd finally tired herself out, and had slept. A door crashing open told him that she was definitely up. A retching noise in the bathroom alerted him to the fact that she was still sick. After twenty minutes, she came back out, and sat next to him on the lounge.

"How are you doing this morning?" She nodded.

"I've been better," she answered weakly. Dean put his arm around her, and kissed her forehead.

"Do you want something to eat?" She shook her head. The thought of food made her more queasy.

"Tea?"

"Sounds ok." He unwrapped his arm from around her shoulders and moved towards the kitchen. She felt the nausea rise in her throat. She jumped off the sofa and sprinted for the bathroom, barely making it. Dean sighed. He took her cup into the bathroom, and leant against the doorjamb.

"Lara, you need to see a doctor. They can give you medication to control this." She shook her head, leaning back against the wall. He handed her the cup, and crouched in front of her.

"You don't have to do this alone Lara."

* * *

**Blue Mountains:**

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Portable Seven. Grommet?" Static filled the radio.

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Portable Four and Five. Can you two get to my location with ropes?"

"Sure Lachie. What's going on?"

"Grommet just fell over a cliff, and I can't get into contact with her." He secured his own ropes and waited, trying Kate's radio every few minutes. Heidi and Jordan appeared from his left, and Chase came straight at him.

"Chase, what are you doing here?"

"Michelle sent me to help you. We've been monitoring your radio's." Lachie nodded.

"Have you heard from Grommet yet?" Lachie shook his head at Heidi.

"Right, I'm coming down with you then." Jordan went to stop her.

"Babe, I should go." She shook her head.

"If we need help hoisting Grommet up the side of this cliff face, we need you and Chase at the top." She checked her harness, and hooked her rope up. She smiled at Jordan, blew him a kiss, and disappeared over the edge. Lachie followed soon after. They abseiled down. It wasn't far enough to kill someone, but it was enough to injure someone. They landed on the ground.

"Grommet?" Heidi heard a moan from the bushes.

"Lachie? Over here." They approached carefully. In the middle of the bushes was Kate. Heidi pushed through to her.

"My head," she groaned.

"That's a decent cut you've got there Grom."

"You alright there Grommet?" She tried to get up, but failed. Lachie came around to the other side, and lifted her out, helping her stand. He checked her over.

"Just a few cuts and bruises I think. How's your head?" He asked, taking a quick look.

"Sore." She swatted him away.

"I'll be fine."

"Your dad will kill me if you're not ok." Lachie pulled out a butterfly Band-Aid, and pulled it across the gash.

"Rescue Portable Four to Rescue Portable Five. Heidi? How's things going?"

"We found her Jordan. She's a little banged up."

"Copy that. You coming back up?"

"Yeah, give us a few minutes." Heidi pulled out her extra harness. Kate stepped into it.

"Hello? Hello! Can somebody help me?"

"Rescue Portable Four to Rescue Portable Five, did you hear that Heidi?"

"Yeah, hang on." She unhooked her ropes.

"Can anybody hear me?" She called.

"Yes! Please, I need your help!" Lachie led the way, pushing through the thickening foliage, until he found a girl. Kate and Heidi followed.

"Tiny?" Lachie looked at Kate.

"You know her Grommet?"

"We were in year twelve together. Tiny, what are you doing out here?" The girl swallowed hard.

"We wanted to go hiking together, to spend some time together."

"Who?" Prodded Kate.

"David. He promised we'd spend time together. He went over the edge first, I haven't heard from him for hours." She burst into tears.

"Heidi, can you take the patient for a moment?" She nodded, and they exchanged places. Lachie took Kate aside.

"Tiny is short for…?"

"Aside from the fact she's short, her full name is Christina Martin."

"Who's David?"

"David Kellar. He's only the hottest guy from our year." He nodded.

"Why? What's going on?"

"We need to notify her parents about where she is. There's also the possibility of a spinal injury from the fall, so you can't be involved in her treatment until you've finished the in-service your dad organised for you." Kate nodded. Lachie returned to Christina's side, continuing her first-aid. Kate scowled. All she wanted to do was help people, and now she was restricted because of rescue rules. She pushed through the shrubs. She was almost fifty metres away from Lachie and Heidi when she heard a small cry.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

"Hello? My name is Kate Marchello. I'm with Rescue Special Operations. Who are you?"

"Grommet? It's me, David." Kate pressed on until she reached David, his body lying awkwardly on the ground.

"Kate! I'm so glad to see you."

"What happened?"

"I fell off that cliff there. I think I hit my head, and I can't feel my legs. My chest is a little sore too."

"Ok." She tried to shift him, and he started gasping for air.

"David? David!" He struggled for oxygen, his lips turning blue.

"Oh my god." Kate jumped up and sprinted back towards Heidi and Lachie. They were securing the ropes onto Christina's board.

"Grommet? Where have you been?"

"I need your help," she panted.

"What happened?"

"I found David. He can't breathe, I think I did something wrong!" She was in near hysterics now. Heidi dropped her ropes.

"You finish with the patient, I'll deal with David. Come see us when you're done." Heidi and Kate pounded through the bush. Kate slid to a stop near David's body, and dropped down next to him.

"Heidi, he's not breathing!"

* * *

Dean and Lara sat in the doctor's office. Dean flipped through a magazine, not registering what he was reading. His phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Deano mate, where are you?"

"Just dealing with some stuff today Vince."

"You could have called mate. You left me short, between you and Lara not being here."

"Yeah, listen Vince, Lara's with me. I can't tell you why yet, that's up to her. We won't be in today."

"Everything ok?" Vince's team were like a family to him. If something was wrong for one of them, he wanted to fix it as best he could.

"Lara Knight?" The doctor called. She stood up.

"Yeah Vince, leave it with me. I've got to go." Dean closed his phone and stood up, following Lara into the examination room. The doctor opened her file.

"Miss Knight, what seems to be the problem?"

"I think I'm pregnant."

* * *

After an hour in the doctor's office, Dean and Lara were heading back to his place. She was quiet the whole way home, and Dean was worried about her.

"Are you alright?" She nodded her head, not looking at him. The silence in the car thickened. He pulled up outside. She got out, not looking at him. He unlocked the door, and got a glimpse of her face. Tears stained her cheeks. She had been crying silently the whole ride home. Dean pulled her into a hug, stroking her back.

"Lara, you can talk to me."

"Dean, what am I going to do? I'm not ready to be a mother and leave Rescue. What if I fail at being a mum?"

"Lara, you know that you will be an amazing mum. Heidi and Michelle will always be there for you, and no-one said anything about leaving rescue."

"How can you be so calm about this? It's not even your baby!" She pulled away from him.

"I said I would stick by you no matter what Lara, and I meant what I said. I'm not about to leave you because of something that was out of your control." She sat on the couch, drawing her knees to her chest.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this Dean." He sat next to her and kissed her forehead, pulling her close to his chest.

"You've got eight and a half months to get ready for this Lara. You have time. We have time." She snuggled into his chest, wiping away her tears with the heels of her hands. He leant back against the sofa, stroking her hair. It was quiet as they sat there, enjoying the company of each other. Lara broke the silence.

"Dean?" She leant back to look him in the eyes.

"Hmm?" He continued stroking her back, looking down at her.

"What if I don't want the baby?"

* * *

 

"Breathe, dammit!" Lachie came crashing through the bushes, skidding to a halt near Heidi. She was trying to resuscitate David, with no luck. Kate was huddled on the ground, hugging her knees as she cried hysterically. After almost ten minutes of trying to bring back David, Heidi sat back on her haunches.

"Call the code," she said to Lachie.

"No! You can't do that!" Kate scrambled over to David's body. Heidi tried to pull her back.

"Kate, it's no use. He's gone." The tears fell quickly down her face.

"No, please." Lachie stepped away to use his radio to inform Chase and Jordan about the body recovery. Heidi leant forward again, to try to get Kate to move. She snarled at her.

"Don't touch me. If I hadn't touched him, he wouldn't be dead. This is all my fault!" Heidi looked at Lachie. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, we need to get his body up the cliff face, so we can't transport him out of here." Kate retreated again, stepping away from his body. Lachie and Heidi transferred David onto a body board, and carried him to the base of the cliff. In silence, they secured the ropes, and Jordan and Chase hoisted him up, dropping the ropes back down when they were done. Heidi turned to Kate, and secured her harness to the rope. Kate was quiet, almost sullen, and allowed herself to be lifted up by Chase and Jordan. She sat on a nearby rock as Lachie and Heidi came up. Chase looked at Lachie, who just lifted an eyebrow at him. Chase approached Kate.

"Grommet?" She looked up at him, the pain evident in her eyes. He sat next to her, and she wrapped her arms around him, and cried on his shoulder. Heidi, Jordan and Lachie made a point of not looking their direction whilst they packed up the rest of the gear. The three of them pulled their packs onto their shoulders, and lifted the board carrying David, and headed back to Michelle and the patrols.

"Where's Chase and Grommet?" Asked Michelle when the three of them came into sight. Christina had already been transported out of the mountains and over to the Blue Mountains District hospital. David's body would go to the same hospital for autopsy.

"They're back near the edge of the cliff. Chase is sitting with her while she composes herself." Michelle nodded, packing up her own gear. A crackling of twigs alerted them to Chase and Kate's presence. Michelle held open her arms, and Kate ran to her. Michelle was like her second mother, and she had no qualms over expressing deep emotions near her.

"Chase and Lachie, you guys head back in the patrol. I'll take Kate with me." They nodded and climbed into the patrols, driving off. Heidi and Jordan got into the other patrol. Jordan kicked it into gear, and followed after Chase and Lachie's dust cloud.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" Asked Heidi.

"Yeah babe, she'll be fine. Remember what you were like when you lost your first patient? It's a big thing." Heidi remembered it like it was yesterday. They had rescued a girl from a motor vehicle accident. She had to have been only four, and died from severe blood loss and trauma. Her name was Aurelia Jackson, and her face was indelibly etched in her mind forever. She had moped about for weeks after her death, blaming herself for losing such a precious little girl, and had been just about impossible when they had gone out to rescues. It taken her time to realise you can't save everyone, you just have to try and save whoever you can. You don't always get a choice. She was about to open her mouth when her phone rang.

"Heidi? It's Lara. I need you."

* * *

Lara sat in Dean's house, alone. Dean had left to go for a jog, saying that he needed to clear his head. It was a lot for her to take in, and she was the one it was happening to. It felt surreal to her, like maybe someone was playing a practical joke on her. She sat in silence, contemplation her only friend, when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Heidi." Lara opened the door, allowing her inside.

"What's the matter Lara? You sounded upset on the phone." Jordan walked in behind Heidi.

"Heidi, why did you bring him?"

"We were on the way back from a rescue. I didn't realise I had to come alone." Lara sat on the couch and burst into tears. Heidi was shocked, but composed herself quickly.

"Jordan babe, can you go for a walk for a little while?" He nodded. He was glad to get away from all this girly emotion, and headed straight for the door. Heidi took a seat next to Lara on the sofa.

"Lara? What's going on?" A sudden thought crossed her mind.

"Did Dean hit you again? Ooh, I'm going to get him! He swore he wouldn't!" Lara shook her head.

"No, it's not that."

"Well, what's wrong?"

"Heidi, I'm pregnant." Heidi sat on the lounge, stunned and confused.

"I thought you wanted kids," said Heidi slowly.

"Hamish wanted kids. I didn't. I love Rescue too much to leave to become a mother. It was never something I wanted to do." She wiped away a tear.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know Heidi. Part of me wants to keep the baby, because it's a living thing, but another part wants me to get an abortion. It's the child of another man, not mine. How can I ask someone like Dean to raise a child that's not his?"

"You'd be surprised how many men actually do it Lara," said Heidi.

"I know, but I don't want to burden Dean with that. I just… I don't know what to do." Heidi put her arm around her.

"I think we need to talk to Michelle. She'll know what to do in this situation."

"Will you come with me?"

"Of course. Do you think I'd make you go by yourself?" Lara shook her head.

"Everyone's going to have to know what's going on."

"They don't have to if you don't want them to Lara."

* * *

Michelle and Kate sat in silence on the trip home. Every now and again Michelle glanced over to see if Kate was ok, but she didn't shift for the entire journey. When they got closer to Rescue HQ, Kate spoke.

"What happens now?"

"What do you mean?" Asked Michelle, confused.

"I killed David. Ended his life. Aren't I supposed to be in trouble?"

"No. What gave you that idea?"

"I don't know, I thought that was what would happen."

"Kate, if I fired or reprimanded someone every time a life was lost, we'd be going through a lot of employees." Kate smiled.

"Is that what you've been worried about?"

"A little, yeah," admitted Kate. Michelle looked at her as she pulled into the HQ drive way.

"Kate, if I fired you, I'd never hear the end of it from your father." When Michelle got upstairs, she noticed Heidi and Lara sitting in her office.

"When did she get here Vince?" He glanced over at her office.

"About fifteen minutes ago. They wouldn't talk to me."

"I'll trade you then. You debrief your daughter about today, and I'll take these two. Go easy on Kate please!" Called Michelle as she opened her door, stepping inside. She sat behind her desk.

"Ok you two. What's going on?" Lara fiddled nervously with the hem of her shirt, not looking into Michelle's eyes. She glanced at Heidi.

"I'm not telling her Lara. I said I'd be here for you, but it needs to come from your mouth."

"What? Lara, what do I need to hear?"

"I'm pregnant Michelle. I don't know what to do." Her nerves felt frayed, and her emotions constantly on the edge. Tears fell softly down her face.

"Oh Lara." Lara felt a motherly tone in Michelle's voice, and let the tears fall freely. Michelle came around from the other side of the desk, and motioned for them to move to the armchairs. She clutched Lara in a back-breaking hug, and followed both girls as they sat down. Michelle perched herself on the arm of one of the chairs.

"Do you want to keep the baby?" Asked Michelle, coming straight out with it.

"I don't know. Part of me wants to keep it, because it's a life, and life is precious, but another part of me struggles to even fathom how I am going to take care of another human being when I can't even take care of myself. And how can I expect another person to care for a child that isn't theirs? I could never ask Dean to go through that. And then I think about who the baby's father is, and then I wonder if the baby will turn out like its father. Please Michelle, what do I do?" Michelle took a deep breath.

"Lara, that's something you have to decide. I can advise you as to what I would do in this situation, but I can't tell you what to do. Ultimately, that's your decision. If you had a husband or partner, I'd be telling you to talk to them."

"Have you spoken to Dean about this?" Asked Heidi.

"I told him I wasn't sure about keeping the baby. He went really quiet, and I haven't seen him since he went for a jog. He's probably halfway to Melbourne now; he was so pre-occupied when he left the house. I don't think I can burden him with the responsibility of a child and myself. I don't think he's ready." Lara could feel her world spinning out of control, thanks to the father of her baby, a man who she couldn't even name.

"Well then, talk to us. We're happy to listen, and we'll support whatever decision you make, no matter what you decide," said Heidi.

"Thanks guys." Vince knocked on the door.

"Dean just walked in, he's a little plastered, and he can't say why. Anybody care to explain?" Michelle looked at Lara.

"This is your call Lara. If you don't want him to know, that's fine, we can keep it between us. He will find out sooner or later." Lara nodded, not wanting to look Vince in the eyes.

"Lara?" Prodded Heidi.

"Ok. You'll find out eventually." Michelle motioned Vince inside, and he closed the door quietly behind him. He waited patiently; knowing whatever she was going to say was going to be important.

"Vince, I'm pregnant." He sucked in a breath of air.

"Congratulations to you and Dean!" He reached over to shake her hand. Michelle stopped him with a look.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"It's not Deans," she whispered.

"If it's not Deans, then whose baby is it?" Vince demanded.

"I don't know his name. He was one of the attackers who were associated with Kendra Bradfield."

"Bastard! I'm gonna find him and kill him!" Vince balled his hands up into fists, rage boiling in him. Michelle put a hand on his arm.

"Don't do it. We don't even know who he is. Leave it to the police to deal with." Vince sat in the chair across from Lara, and clasped her petite hands in his.

"If there's anything I can do for you, let me know. I'll help you in any way I can, before and after the baby arrives."

"Vince, I don't even know if I want to keep it." He stood up, outraged.

"What? You're going to kill a human life? That's insane!" Lara reeled back.

"I wasn't thinking along the lines of abortion Vince, I was thinking more like giving the baby away when it was born. It's not fair to have a mother like me, and I don't think I'm ready to look after a baby." He nodded.

"I can understand that. Do you want to tell the rest of the team?" Lara shook her head.

"Not until I've made my decision Vince." Lara walked downstairs, heading for the door. She needed to go for a walk, think through what she was going to do. Her thoughts felt like they'd been put through a blender, and she needed to clear the confusion. She looked up, and realised Lachie was standing on front of her.

"Dean told me." A look of shock crossed her face.

"What?" He nodded. He didn't feel the need to repeat himself. She shifted, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Are you going to do it?" He asked.

"Do what?"

"Get rid of the baby." She shrugged her shoulders, refusing to look him in the eyes.

"Don't do it Lara." He took her hand. "We'll always be there for you, to support you." Lara nodded.

"Thanks Lachie. I just need to go for a walk." He bobbed his head.

"Call me if you need to talk. Dean's a bit off his face, so I wouldn't try talking to him at the moment." Lara slid past Lachie, and walked out the door. She was fighting her inner turmoil. Should she keep the baby, and face the possibility of having to leave Rescue? Or get rid of the baby, and regret it for the rest of her life? Everywhere she looked, she saw happy young mothers pushing baby strollers, young parents looking after toddlers, all smiles and cheerful faces. The sudden realisation hit Lara. She wanted to be one of those parents, to have a smaller version of herself to love and cherish. She wiped a tear away, and headed back to Rescue HQ. She wanted Michelle and Heidi, as her best friends, to know her decision first. As she walked back, she heard a screech of tires, and a crunching of metal. Lara turned to see a car accident at the intersection, and her rescue instincts kicked in. She pounded towards the accident, pulling out her phone. As she drew closer, she realised a Rescue patrol was involved. She stopped, and dialled a number with shaky hands.

"Lachie, I need your help. Dean's been in an accident." Lachie swore and dropped his phone. He hadn't been able to find Dean for the past half an hour, and had assumed he'd fallen asleep in a corner somewhere, sleeping off the effects of the alcohol. He picked up his phone.

"Where are you?"

"Just around the corner from HQ. I was walking back." Lachie ran for the door.

"Heidi, Grommet, grab the medi-kits. Chase and Jordan, bring a combi-tool and a spine board. Dean's been in an accident." The team sprinted for the equipment. Lachie propelled himself along the concrete path, until he reached the scene. Lara was already assessing the other patient.

"Lachie! I need a cervical collar. We've got a possible spinal here." Heidi heard Lara, and pulled out a collar, throwing it to Lachie. He made his way around the car to the side where Lara was, passing her the collar. She secured it around his neck.

"We need a combi-tool to get him out," she told Lachie.

"Dean!" Chase arrived on the scene, and sprinted for his brother, who was unconscious in the other vehicle, and Lachie joined him soon after. Kate stood and observed. After the day's events, she didn't want to risk anybody else unless she was called on. Jordan took the combi-tool over, and pushed it in the gap between the car body and the door. He prised it open, and Heidi brought over the spine board. Between the three of them, they transferred their patient onto the board, and into a waiting ambulance. Chase and Lachie were working tirelessly on Dean.

"Is he alright?" Called Lara.

"He's unconscious, and his arms broken, but I think he'll be ok. He's got a pretty impressive lump on his head, and he'll be quite bruised, but he'll live." Dean stirred in his seat.

"Wha' happene?" He asked groggily.

"You took a patrol and drove it whilst drunk, you idiot," berated Lachie. Dean tried to move his arm, and winced as the pain seared through the shattered bones.

"Careful moving that mate, you've broken it." A siren notified them that the ambulance for Dean was there. They pried open the door with a combi-tool, and pulled him out gently, being mindful of his arm. As they waved goodbye to the ambulance, Lara took Heidi's arm.

"I need to talk to you and Michelle. It's important." Heidi and Lara left Kate and the boys to clean up the accident site, and headed back to HQ. Heidi ran to Michelle, and whispered in her ear. She nodded, and walked into her office, and sat behind her desk.

"What's up Lara?"

"I've decided," said Lara. She could barely contain her enthusiasm.

"Well, I think I know what you're going to say," said Michelle, a grin spreading across her face.

"I've decided to keep the baby." Heidi practically screamed for joy, and hugged Lara tightly.

"This is so exciting!" She gushed. Vince heard the commotion, and stuck his head inside the door.

"What's going on?" Lara got up and smiled at him.

"I've decided to keep the baby." He pulled her close, and wrapped his arms around her.

"That's great Lara. What made you change your mind?" She drew away from him, facing the other two girls in the room.

"I figured, if Michelle can successfully do her Rescue job and raise James, well then so can I. I'm making you all babysit at least once," Lara joked.

"You need to tell everyone else. You won't have to do this alone, we'll stick by you the whole way." Heidi was thrilled for Lara. Vince stuck his head out Michelle's door, and called the others in. They came into the doorway.

"What's going on?" Asked Kate.

"Lara's got some news for you." They looked at her expectantly.

"I'm pregnant, and I've decided that I'm keeping the baby." Lachie whooped, and came in, hugging Lara so tight he lifted her feet off the floor.

"That's fantastic!" Kate came in next, give Lara a light hug.

"I'm planning your baby shower, ok?" Lara nodded to her, her smile getting wider. Vince's phone rang, and he dashed out to answer it, leaving the others to fawn over Lara. He came back in five minutes later.

"Dean's discharging himself from the hospital after they've set his arm. Lachie, if you can pick him up, we can meet you at the pub. I'm taking you for drinks to celebrate." Chase slapped Vince on the back. Lara interrupted.

"Vince, do you think I could pick Dean up? I haven't told him what's going on yet, and I want to tell him myself."

"Sure Lara, see you when you get back. We'll save a few softies for you; no more drinks until you're holding that baby in your arms." Lara laughed, and grabbed her jacket off her chair, and walked out the door. Kate followed after her.

"Lara!" Lara turned around to face Kate.

"What's up Grom?"

"Can I come with you? I want to talk." Lara thought about it for a split second, and then nodded her head.

"Sure, get in." Kate smiled, and hoisted herself into the passenger seat of Deans ute. Lara pulled out of the drive quickly, and soon found herself in afternoon traffic. She looked at Kate.

"What's up?" She asked.

"What changed for you?"

"What do you mean?" Asked Lara, confused.

"I mean, you left rescue last year. Why did you do it, and what made you change your mind?" Kate felt like she was speaking out of turn, and hoped she hadn't pushed it too far.

"I left rescue because I was afraid of becoming an adrenaline junkie, always risking myself for the fun, and losing sight of what rescue is really about; rescuing people and saving lives." Lara put on her indicator, and turned the corner.

"So what made you decide to come back?" Questioned Kate.

"I stayed out of rescue for almost a year. I didn't know what to do anymore; I moped around, did a few temp jobs. About six months out, I found myself missing rescue, wanting to be able to save people again. It was around then I realised I wasn't at risk of becoming an adrenaline junkie, but of becoming dedicated. I love my job, and I'm not about to stop doing it, to put myself through that again. I would happily rescue hundreds of people, just to feel the satisfaction of saving someone's life." Kate was quiet for a while, then broke the silence.

"Doesn't having a baby change that?"

"What do you mean?" Enquired Lara.

"What happens after the baby's born? Don't most parents end up leaving their jobs?" Said Kate.

"I don't want to be one of those parents. If anything, I want to be a mum like Michelle. She's managed to do both her job as a rescue supervisor and her job as a mother, and I can't say she's failed either of them. She's got the added bonus of having Ian though." Lara said sadly.

"What do you mean?"

"Whilst she's not married to Ian, she can still ask him to take James if she needs a break, or drop him off there as an alternative to a babysitter. I won't have that; I'm an only child, and I can't expect my parents to look after a young baby." She pulled up into the hospital carpark, and looked at Kate.

"Don't get me wrong, I will have this baby, but I still wonder if it's the right thing to do. I felt the same way about rescue when I first left. It's a feeling that will pass." Kate nodded.

"I'll stay here while you get Dean," she said quietly.

"Thanks Kate." Lara jumped out of the car. Kate had asked some hard-hitting questions during that car ride, and she was glad that someone had thought to ask them. She entered the hospital doors, and found Dean sitting on a solid plastic chair, arm encased in a cast and raised in a sling.

"Lara!" He stood up quickly, a sheepish look on his face.

"I know I shouldn't have been driving. I bet Vince is pissed I totalled another patrol; that's two between us Gallagher's now." Lara smiled.

"Sit back down for a moment. I want to tell you something." A look of concern crossed his face.

"It's not bad, is it?" He asked. She shook her head, the grin still on her face.

"I've decided to keep the baby." Dean's face lit up.

"Are you serious?" She nodded. Dean leant over and hugged her awkwardly, his cast getting in the way. An apologetic look crossed his face.

"Lara, that's fantastic. I'm glad you made the right decision." She pulled him up.

"Come on, I left Kate in your precious ute. Vince is taking us for drinks to celebrate." Dean walked out of the hospital with Lara, his good arm over her shoulder. He kissed her forehead.

"I'm excited now. If I had of known your decision sooner, I probably wouldn't have gone off and gotten myself drunk. You might have saved me a broken arm!" Jested Dean.

"I went for a walk today, and that's when I decided. You had already disappeared by then You're lucky I was out there, otherwise it would have taken us longer to get to you. I watched the accident happen." She poked him in the ribs.

"You shouldn't have been driving, and you know it." He opened the driver side door, and went to climb in. Lara pushed the door closed, almost jamming his hand in the door.

"I don't think so. Your blood alcohol count will still be over, and I am not letting you drive in that condition." He glared at her, then smiled.

"I suppose it's for the best." He opened the back door. Kate was sitting in the passenger seat.

"Hey Grommet." She waved at him, and grinned.

"So if you and Lara are an item, does that mean you're becoming a daddy?"

* * *

 

The next morning, Dean and Lara carpooled into work. Dean wasn't able to drive, and Lara didn't trust him otherwise. As they pulled into the driveway, Vince came out of the door.

"We've had a callout." Dean jumped out of the ute, ready and raring to go.

"Where is it Vince?"

"Blue mountains again Deano. You can't go; not with that arm in a cast. You can go with Michelle and co-ordinate, but that's it." Dean nodded, satisfied with the answer. Lara jumped into the front patrol, and Dean joined her. Vince stuck his head in the window.

"I'll meet you guys there, and fill you in once I've talked to the volunteers there." Dean and Lara nodded, and sped out of the driveway. Lachie, Chase and Kate followed in the other patrol, and Jordan and Heidi brought up the rear with the Rescue truck.

As they pulled into the dusty carpark an entourage of media was waiting for them, hungry for details. Michelle took on the news crews, and Vince took aside the teams to brief them.

"Right. We've got a Duke of Edinburgh school group lost out here." Vince was interrupted by Chase.

"What happened to their leaders?"

"You'll never believe this, but their leaders were Christina Martin and David Keller." Kate jumped in.

"The same two we rescued yesterday?" She asked, disbelief in her voice. Vince nodded.

"Yep. So we're looking for a group of eight, according to their list. Reports from locals have sightings of students all over the reserve, and we've had a phone call this morning from one of them in distress. We're splitting you up into teams, and you'll work in tandem with the volunteer teams." Vince split them up, putting Kate and Lara as a team.

"Jordan, you're team leader. Report in every ten minutes. Follow the grid search on the map you've been given." The three teams nodded their assent, and split up. Vince sat with Michelle and Dean at their command centre, and leant back, putting his hands behind his head.

"You ready for this Dean?" Asked Michelle.

"Ready for what?" Dean was pretty sure he knew what they were going to ask.

"You're going to be a dad. Are you ready for something like that?" Asked Vince, knowing full well where Michelle was going. Dean rested his head on his hand and sighed.

"I don't know. Were either of you ready to be parents?" Both shook their heads.

"No, but we adjusted to the idea pretty quickly. Don't worry Dean; we'll be there to help you and Lara through everything." Michelle patted Dean on the back. Vince chuckled, and picked up his radio.

"Heidi, Jordan. Report."

* * *

Chase and Lachie tramped through the bush, pushing aside branches and stepping over logs. They were silent, no words exchanged between them. Chase put out his arm, and put a finger to his lips.

"Did you hear that?" Lachie shook his head, and stopped behind Chase, listening. A quiet moan sounded from a little further on. Lachie radioed in their co-ordinates, and Chase pushed on.

"Hello?"

"Help me." Chase moved forward, and found a girl trapped by a tree. Her shoulder was ensnared under a large fallen tree trunk. Lachie was right behind Chase, and sucked in a deep breath when he saw her.

"Please, I can't get out," she whispered. Chase nodded.

"We'll get you out," said Chase. He was concerned over the damage it would do to her system once they got her arm free. Lachie handed her a green whistle, and conferred with Chase.

"Mate, we may not be able to save her arm. It looks like it's been under for a while, and once we move that log, she's gone get a massive dose of potassium that could stop her heart," said Lachie quietly. He didn't want to freak out their patient. Chase looked pained, and glanced at their patient.

"So what do we do?"

* * *

Heidi and Jordan walked through the bush together, Heidi discussing her wedding ideas.

"So I'm thinking a church wedding, white roses, a limo…" Jordan zoned out, not listening. He tripped, and fell flat on his face.

"Jordan! Are you ok?" Heidi came back to him, and helped him up. She brushed him down.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm ok. Stop fussing." He strode forward, face red, embarrassment flooding his features. Heidi giggled at him.

"Hello? We're down here!"

"Jordan, did you hear that?" Asked Heidi, stopping in her tracks.

"Yeah, I did. Hello?" They edged closer to the edge of the cliff. Heidi lay flat on the ground, peering over the side. Jordan held her legs.

"There! I can see them Jordan. They're huddled on a ledge. Hello? Are you alright down there?" Called Heidi.

"I'm ok, but Lucy isn't. She knocked her head, and she hasn't woken up. We can't get out of here."

"It's ok, we'll get down to you and get you out soon," Heidi responded. Jordan pulled her back up. Heidi wiped down her pants, and spoke.

"We need ropes and a spine board, and probably an extra pair of hands."

* * *

Kate and Lara jumped over some rocks, and headed down the slight incline, being careful of roots and fallen branches.

"I can't believe Tiny and David would have lost a group of kids. I thought they were more responsible than that." Kate kicked a rock viciously.

"We'll find them Kate." Lara spotted a backpack, and ran to it. Kate picked it up.

"One of our missing kids?" Lara asked, turning it around. The name read Jodie Spears. Kate looked away, and then inhaled quickly.

"What is it?" Asked Lara. Kate pointed wordlessly to a shoe sticking out of a bush nearby, and sprinted towards it. Lara got to their patient first, and turned the body over. It was a scrawny boy. She looked up at Kate.

"Do you know who this is?" She shook her head. Lara checked his vitals.

"His pulse is weak and thready, and he looks like he's running a temperature." Kate looked down at his leg.

"Lara, I think he's been bitten by a snake."

* * *

Lachie and Chase worked in perfect unison, working to turn the log into smaller, manageable pieces. After they'd moved most of the log, Chase and Lachie turned their attentions to their patient. Her face was glistening as she struggled to hold in the tears of pain. She was gasping as she sobbed.

"Hey, you need to calm down. We're at the last piece, and we need to do this carefully. Lachie, can you grab me a sodium bic solution?" Lachie nodded, and prepared the needle. Chase spoke to the girl.

"We're going to move this last section. While we're doing it, we're going to inject a solution to help get rid of the potassium." The girl was visibly shaking now. Lachie pulled out an oxygen mask, and secured it over her face.

"We'll look after you. We'll get you out." Lachie stood up, and moved into position.

"You ready Chasie?" Chase nodded his head, getting a line in the girls arm. Lachie lifted the piece slowly. She started shaking violently.

"Stop!" Called Chase, he injected the sodium solution.

"Come on, stay with me!" Her convulsions slowed. Chase gave the signal, and Lachie lifted the log higher, finally flinging it away. Their patient's eyes rolled back in her head as she succumbed to the pain. Chase smiled up at Lachie.

"We did it."

* * *

Heidi stood, leaning over the edge.

"Anyone else able to come help us?" She called to Jordan.

"Michelle's coming through now," he responded.

"Michelle? Why Michelle?"

"Because Heidi, the other two teams are busy with their own patients, and I won't allow Dean or Vince to come do this. I'm still a fully qualified RSO officer," Michelle yelled over the edge. Heidi's face turned red, almost matching her auburn hair. She abseiled down to their two patients.

"How are you doing?" She asked as she neared them. The boy spoke.

"Lucy's hurt." Heidi nodded.

"We'll get her up. Are you ok? What's your name?"

"Caleb Wright. I'm fine." Heidi noticed a gash on his lower leg.

"You look like you've taken a bit of a scraping there." He batted her away.

"I'm fine. I just tried to climb off this stupid ledge, and now I'm stuck here." Heidi muttered under her breath. She secured the harness around him, and waved to Jordan and Michelle, who hoisted Caleb up. After they'd got him up and over the edge, Jordan and Michelle lowered a spine board down to Heidi and Lucy. She gently transferred Lucy onto the board, and gestured to Michelle and Jordan to pull her up. A group of volunteers took Caleb and Lucy to the carpark, where ambulances waited to take them to the local hospital. Michelle leant over the edge.

"You ready to come up Heidi-Ho?" Heidi laughed, attaching her medi-kit to her back.

"You bet Michelle." Heidi started her ascent, when she felt the rope slip. She clung onto the rope for dear life.

"Jordan! Help!"

* * *

Lara and Kate secured a tourniquet around their patient's leg. A group of volunteers met them in their area with a stretcher, and took him straight out to an ambulance, where he would be treated in hospital. Kate and Lara brushed themselves up, and picked up their kits. They continued walking, until someone ran straight into Kate. She fell backwards. Lara grabbed the stranger.

"Who are you?"

"Please," he said breathlessly, "she needs your help!" Lara looked at Kate.

"Who needs our help?"

"Jodie," he panted, and turned heel. The two girls dashed after him, hurtling through the bushes after him. He came to a stop near a girl, lying prone on the ground. He dropped next to her.

"I don't know what's wrong with her. She started slurring her words, and then this happened." He ran his fingers through his hair.

"What do I do?" Kate took him aside, talking to him softly. Lara cleared the rocks away from Jodie's head, and checked her airways. She looked at her wrist, where a warning bracelet was attached.

"Grommet, get your dad on the radio, tell him we need help getting her out. We've got a diabetic in distress." Kate grabbed her radio.

"Rescue Portable Seven to Rescue Command, Dad, we need some help here."

"What's going on Kate?"

"We've got a diabetic in distress. Her blood sugar is in her boots, and Lara needs help to get her out."

"Righto Grommet. Give me your co-ordinates and I'll have someone out there in five minutes."

* * *

Heidi clung to her only lifeline, feeling it slip away.

"Jordan?" She heard nothing, only grunting. He was holding her body weight, trying to stop her from falling any further. Michelle radioed for help, and grabbed the rest of the rope, trying to pull Heidi up. Heidi's arms started to fatigue as she hung there precariously, and she felt herself fall a few more inches.

"Guys, I can't hold on much longer!" She yelled. She slipped another inch.

"Hold on Heidi!" Shouted Michelle. Heidi's arms chose that moment to give up and let go, and she found herself falling, faster and faster. She hit the ledge with an audible thump, the dust billowing around her. Jordan and Michelle fell back as the slack caught up with them. Jordan scrambled forward. He peered over the edge, looking for her. He spotted her on the ledge, her body lifeless. Michelle appeared next to him, breathless.

"Is she ok?" She asked, catching her breath.

"Dunno. She hasn't moved yet." Jordan called out to her.

"Heidi. Heidi!"

* * *

 

Lachie and Chase ran towards the cliff edge. Chase's heart was frozen in fear as he thought about who had fallen over the edge. Bags slapping against the backs of their legs, adrenaline spurring them on, they reached the ledge where Jordan and Michelle were lying.

"What happened?" Asked Chase breathlessly, flinging his pack off his back.

"Heidi fell, the rope slipped." Jordan climbed up, and brushed himself down.

"Is she alright?" Asked Lachie, securing ropes to a new anchor point. Chase helped Michelle up.

"She hasn't moved. We need to get down her." Jordan ran his hands through his hair, concern filling his entire being. Lachie double checked his harness, and leant over the edge.

"Alright, I'm going down. Chasie, hook yourself up, I might need you down there as well." Chase nodded, and jumped into action. Michelle noticed Jordan struggling to get himself into a harness. She stopped him, a hand on his chest.

"I've got to get down there."

"You can't Jordan; it's a conflict of interest. Let Lachie and Chase get to her." Jordan swiped her hand away.

"She's my fiancée; I need to get down to her!" He swore at Michelle, and tried to push her away.

"Jordan, stop. You can't do this!" He stopped, running his hands through his dusty hair. He looked at Michelle, desperation across his face.

"What if something's happened to her? What would I do without her?" Michelle tried to soothe him.

"Jordan, she'll be ok. Heidi's a strong girl, she'll be ok. Let Lachie and Chase assess her, and you can pull yourself together. We need to get her up here, and we'll need your help." He nodded, and went over to the edge, watching Lachie and Chase as the abseiled quickly down the side. Lachie reached her first. She coughed a little, trying to suck in a breath.

"Hey, take it easy." He checked her over.

"I think you've just got a few bruises, but you'll be right," Lachie announced cheerfully. Chase made it down to her next.

"You ok Heidi?" He asked. She nodded.

"Just a bit winded," she gasped. He nodded.

"Yeah, falling down the side of a cliff does that to you." She smiled weakly.

"Let's get you topside so your future husband can check you over. He was pretty frantic up there." She tried to get up, and Lachie helped her, securing a harness around her. She felt stupid now, like she was a fragile woman.

"I can do it." Lachie held his hands back, allowing her to reach around and tighten the harness. Chase climbed back up the top to help Michelle and Jordan hoist Heidi up. As she got to the ledge, she felt Chase and Jordan grab her under the arms and lift her to her feet. She allowed herself to be smothered in a hug from Jordan, but pulled away after some time.

"Jordan, I'm fine." He kissed her forehead, and looked in her eyes.

"I was just worried about you babe."

* * *

Kate felt elated. She had helped save a patient, and the thrill couldn't compare to anything she'd ever done in her life, including her surfing. She knew she was in the right job. Lara patted her on the back.

"You did it Grommet. Saved someone's life. How does it feel?" Kate smiled.

"It feels excellent." They packed up their gear. The ambo officers had taken Jodie out, and were taking her to the hospital for monitoring. Lara radioed into base, updating them.

"Vince, how many have we got left to find?" Vince checked his sheet.

"We've still got three to find. We've had five come in already." Kate sighed. The day seemed to be getting longer.

"Who have we got missing?" Asked Lara. Vince read out the names.

"An Angela Lei, Rhys Pitt and Kaylah Reid. Good luck finding them."

"Thanks Vince. Any word on the other two teams?"

"Not yet, I'll let you know if there is." Lara clicked off her radio, and motioned over to Kate.

"Come on, let's go." They pulled their packs over their shoulders, and traipsed away. Crashing through undergrowth, pushing aside tree branches, Kate and Lara pushed forward. They would have kept going, had they not heard screaming.

"Stop! Please! Stop it!" With barely a glance to each other, Kate and Lara pressed on, breaking into a sprint. They almost missed a young girl hiding by the rocks. It was only that Kate caught a glimpse of her jet black hair.

"Hey," said Kate. The girl nearly jumped out of her skin, frightened. Kate crouched down next to her.

"It's alright. We're with Rescue Special Ops."

"My name's Angela. Please, you have to get to Kaylah. They're fighting." She dissolved into tears.

"Ok, you stay here. Kate, can you radio for one of the boys? Lachie would be the better choice." Kate nodded, sitting beside Angela. She reached for her radio.

"Rescue Portable Seven to Rescue Portable Six, Lachie, we need you here." Lachie answered his radio.

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Portable Seven, what's the problem Kate?"

"We think we've found all the missing students. Two of them are having a fight, and it's not looking good." Lachie motioned to Chase.

"We'll be there in two minutes. Hang tight."

* * *

Lara crept around, trying to see if she could see Kaylah or Rhys. She could hear them, but had yet to lay eyes on them. She could hear them arguing, Rhys was threatening her. She stepped on a twig, wincing as the sound echoed all around. She could feel her blood pounding in her ears, adrenaline racing as she crept forward. She felt almost ill with the apprehension of coming face to face with this boy. Who knew what he was capable of? As she stepped forward, she felt light-headed. She realised she hadn't eaten since breakfast, and was in definite trouble. She sat down on the spot where she was standing, and took some deep breaths. She could feel herself in the beginnings of a faint. She silently cursed herself for not bringing anything with her, as she passed out in the middle of the clearing.

* * *

Chase and Lachie sprinted for Kate's location, leaving the others to wonder what had happened. Kate stayed hidden with Angela. She'd been told by a superior not to move, and she wasn't about to disobey an order. She heard another scream, and Angela trembled next to her. A crackling of twigs alerted her to someone coming. It was Lachie. He crouched down to where her and Angela were hiding.

"Kate, where's Lara?" She pointed.

"She went along there." Another yell. Lachie's ears pricked up.

"Stay here. When Chase catches up, get him to take Angela back to the command centre, get her looked after. Go with him. We'll radio back if we need you." Kate nodded. Lachie crept forward, his tactical military training taking over.

"Rhys, don't! No, stop!" He heard a resounding slap. Lachie wondered for a moment where Lara was. He hadn't heard from her yet. That thought was pushed aside when he heard Rhys finally speak.

"I'll teach you to sleep with someone else. How dare you do that to me? My reputation is ruined!" The anger in his voice was strong. Lachie heard a click, and recognised it instantly as a loaded gun. He stepped forward out of the shadows, holding his hands raised in a sign of surrender.

"Don't shoot," he called. Rhys waved the gun around.

"I'm gonna kill her. She killed my chances for scholarship, and told everybody how I raped her. I didn't do anything!" He was almost hysterical.

"Mate, there's no need to do anything rash. Stay calm." Lachie tried to keep the situation in hand, whilst looking for Lara.

"Nothing stupid? She's ruined my life!" Lachie took a step forward.

"Get back!" The boy screamed. Kaylah stood there in the clearing, trembling, tears streaming down her face.

"Come on. It can't be that bad." He lowered his rifle for a moment.

"You have no idea." Lachie heard a rustling in the bushes, and tried to ignore it, hoping Rhys wouldn't hear it. He did though, and his guard was raised again.

"Who else is here?" He demanded.

"No-one mate, there's only us here."

"I don't believe you!" Chase came out of no-where and tackled Rhys, jostling the gun. A deafening crack sounded in the clearing, and Kaylah dropped like a rock. Chase rolled off Rhys, groaning, and curled up. Lachie removed the threatening gun, disarming it and putting it next to his pack. Jordan, Kate and Michelle appeared in the clearing, having followed Chase back. Heidi had stayed with Dean and Vince, under Jordan's orders.

"Lachie, what do you need us to do?" Asked Jordan, pulling his kit off his back.

"Hold down that kid until we can take him. Michelle and Kate, you look after Kaylah. I need to check on Chase." Lachie stepped over to Chase.

"Chasie, you alright?" Chase groaned.

"I'm fine; he just got me in the crown jewels." Lachie laughed. Jordan held Rhys's hands behind his back, twisting his arm.

"Michelle, how's Kaylah?"

"She's been shot in the upper thigh. It's just missed the femoral artery I think, but she's going to need fluids and a blood transfusion at the hospital. She'll be alright." They applied a pressure bandage to her leg to stop the bleeding. Chase took a hold of Rhys's wrists as Jordan went to help Lachie lift Kaylah, to move her out. Michelle packed up the medi-kits, and the team moved out of the bush. They took Kaylah and Rhys back to the carpark, where an ambulance and a police car were waiting. They transferred Kaylah into the ambulance, and they sped away, sirens blaring. Rhys was handed over to the police, along with the confiscated gun. They packed up the gear, and put it away into the patrols. As Dean was helping Lachie pack up the gear, he turned to him, shock on his face.

"What's up Dean?" Asked Lachie. His face went white.

"Where's Lara?" Lachie's faced paled as well.

"Jordan, Grommet, Chase. Grab your kits." Lachie wanted to move quickly. They were losing daylight fast.

"What's going on Dean?" Asked Chase as he struggled to pull his kit out of the patrol.

"Lara's still out there." Michelle grabbed one of the extra kits.

"I'm going too," she said simply. Dean stopped her.

"Michelle, should you real…" She cut him off.

"Dean, I'm going to go with the teams and find her. Vince, I've got radio eight. Radio us if you hear anything from her." Michelle grabbed a muesli bar from her bag.

"What's that for?" Asked Vince.

"If I know Lara, I bet she's missed lunch. She forgets she's eating for two now." Michelle dashed off. She joined Lachie and Grommet, and the two teams spread out. It was getting dark now, and all team members were concerned for Lara, and the possibility of having to do a night rescue, something not permitted in the rescue handbook. As they traced back their steps, Lachie gritted his teeth.

"Come on Lara, where are you?"

"Lara! Lara!" Michelle called out for her, hoping she would answer. Kate trampled through the bush next to her.

"Lara!" Lachie brought up the rear of their team, peering over Michelle's head.

"Chase, Jordan, any signs?" Asked Lachie.

"No, not yet. We'll keep you posted." Lachie, Michelle and Kate reached the clearing where Kate had last seen Lara.

"Which way did she go Grommet?" Asked Michelle. Kate pointed.

"She went that way, and I haven't seen her since." Michelle took charge.

"Right, Lachie and Kate, you continue in this area. I'll head in the direction Lara was originally going. Check in around ten minutes." Lachie and Kate nodded. Michelle foraged on further, heading away from the pair. She spotted a blonde lock of hair, and ran forward to it. Lara was lying on the ground, eyes closed. Michelle grabbed her radio.

"Lachie, Kate. I've found her. Follow down the track a little further, and you should see me."

"Is she alright?" Asked Lachie, heading her direction.

"I think she's just fainted, but just to be safe, she should go to the hospital to be checked up on." Lachie crashed through a nearby shrub. Michelle was checking Lara's pulse, watching the second hand on her watch. He knelt down, as Lara's eyes started fluttering. She saw Lachie and Michelle hovering over her, and tried to sit up quickly.

"Woah, hold your horses. Take it easy." Lachie put his hand behind her as she slowly sat up. She looked from Michelle to Lachie, and then to Kate, who was standing behind them.

"What happened?" She asked softly. Michelle pulled out the muesli bar and handed it to Lara.

"Eat it. If I know you well enough, and I think I do, you forgot to have lunch today." Lara nodded, and unwrapped the bar. After she'd eaten it, she tried to stand, Lachie supporting her the whole time. She was unsteady on her feet, and stumbled a little as she stepped forward. Michelle and Kate walked next to her, ready to catch her if she fell. When the got to the carpark, and ambulance was waiting for Lara. She grimaced as she saw it.

"Really Michelle?" She groaned. Dean sprinted forward as he saw them, Heidi right behind him.

"Lara! Are you ok?" She nodded, pushing him away. She felt embarrassed now, after having Michelle, Lachie and Kate find her passed out on the ground. Michelle and Kate led her over to the ambulance, and she climbed in, her face inflamed. Dean jumped in beside her.

"I'll go with you." Michelle and the team farewelled the ambulance, and returned to packing up their gear. Jordan and Heidi packed up their patrol in record time. He turned to her and kissed her on the lips.

"I was worried for you today babe." She nodded, feeling his strong arms encircle her.

"I know, and I love you for that." She leant up and kissed him back.

"Dinner, my place tonight?"

* * *

Dean sat in the waiting room near emergency, killing time whilst he waited for Lara. She sat inside, waiting for the nurses to come back with her test results. The suspense was tearing her apart. When the doctor flung open the curtain, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Well Lara, we've got the results of your blood test." She jiggled impatiently.

"You're slightly anaemic, but that's not what we're concerned about." She looked the man in the eyes.

"Well, what are you concerned about?"

"You've got gestational diabetes." A look of shock crossed her face.

"What?" He repeated himself. She sat there, still and motionless.

"We'll give you a new diet to follow, you'll need to keep up the physical activity, and we'll monitor your blood glucose levels." He gave her a letter.

"This is for your obstetrician to update their records." He showed her out of the examination room, back to where Dean was.

"Stay healthy Lara." Dean stood up. She hadn't quite absorbed the information yet.

"Everything ok?" He'd called Chase to come and get the pair of them. She nodded, not sure if she should tell him yet. Chase pulled up into the drive, and Dean and Lara climbed in.

"Everything alright?" He asked as he pulled away from the curb?

"I'm fine," snapped Lara. Chase chuckled.

"Trouble in paradise?" Dean swiped his arm.

"Leave it Chase." Lara sat in the back, staring out the window, absorbed in her own thoughts. Chase glanced at the rear view mirror.

"You okay back there Lara?" He asked, concerned.

"I'll be fine Chase."

* * *

Michelle sat in the office, sorting through paperwork. Vince stuck his head through the door.

"I'm leaving now. You okay to lock up?" She nodded.

"Yeah, just going to finish some paperwork. Have you heard from Lara?"

"Deano just called me. She's alright, not talking much. He's gonna take her home and let her get some rest." Michelle nodded.

"I'm glad Kate's training up." Vince looked at her.

"Why's that?" He asked.

"Well, Lara will have some time where she's not available, when the baby needs her. If we have Kate fully trained by then, we'll have a back-up plan." Vince smiled.

"So how's she doing in her field experience?" Asked Michelle.

"Oh you know, the same way all newbies go. They make mistakes, but with people like Chase and Lachie peering over your shoulder, you learn how to fix them pretty quickly." Michelle laughed, and closed her folder.

"Forget this; I'm going home."

"Best thing you've said all day." They exited headquarters, and separated to their own cars. Michelle noticed a slip of paper on her car, flapping in the breeze.

_Leave him alone, or James gets it. Consider yourself warned._

* * *

_A woman stood hidden in the shadows..._


	5. 4-5: Distress

_EPISODE 4.5 – Distress._

* * *

Lara and Dean lay in bed together, enjoying the warmth whilst a wicked storm raged outside. He kissed her forehead.

"I know it's been over a month since that rescue, but are you ready to tell me what the doctor told you?" Lara shook her head, and kissed him on the chest.

"Not yet." They lay in bed together, the wind howling, rain pounding against the window. She snuggled closer to him.

"Let's just enjoy the rain."

The next morning, as Dean and Lara got ready, Dean's mobile rang.

"Hey Vince." He was silent for a while, seriousness etched across his face.

"We'll meet you there." He closed his phone with a snap, and hurriedly pulled on his own uniform, struggling to do the buttons up quickly.

"What was that about?" She asked.

"We've had a serious callout. Two people trapped under a tree that fell on their house. Vince and the team are going to meet us there." She nodded, pulling on her Rescue uniform.

"Let's go." They climbed into Dean's ute, and pulled out into the street.

"Where is it?" She asked.

"24 Darvall Street, St Leonards." Lara's face paled.

"Dean," she whispered, gripping his arm tightly, "That's my father's house." Dean floored the accelerator.

"Stay calm Lara. We'll get to him, it'll be ok," Dean tried to reassure her. He knew stress wasn't good for the baby, and he knew this was going to be a trying day.

"Just hurry up and get there."

* * *

Vince and the others had already got there by the time Lara and Dean arrived. Lara jumped out straight away and ran toward the house.

"Dad!" She called. Vince looked at Dean.

"What's going on Deano?"

"This is her dad's house." Vince looked at the sheet, and his face whitened.

"It didn't occur to me that Bill Knight was even remotely related to Lara." Dean looked over at her. She started to scale the unsteady building.

"Aunt Gina?"

"Lara! No!" Dean ran over to her, and pulled her down.

"You can't do that."

"Why not? They're my family." She started to cry, and he pulled her close.

"Shh," he said, smoothing her hair, and kissing her on the head.

"What if they're not ok?"

"They'll be fine Lara. Let Heidi and Jordan get into them. Chase and Lachie are perfectly capable of doing this without us. Come sit over here." He led her to the back of the patrol, and sat her just inside. She grabbed his arm.

"Dean, I want you in there helping to find them. Please." He nodded.

"I'll make Vince stay with you." She shook her head.

"I'll be fine, just go." Dean sprinted away. They were moving parts of the fallen tree, trying to get to the broken structure. They moved systematically, like a well-oiled machine. A weak cry stopped them in their tracks.

"Help me, please." Dean held up a hand.

"Hello? Gina, is that you?"

"Yes. Is Lara there?"

"She's here Mrs Knight. She's helping Vince."

"Oh good." Dean moved towards where he could hear voice, and found her trapped underneath a supporting beam. He moved some sheeting with Chase's help, and she squinted against the glare of the sun beaming down on her.

"Hi Gina. We'll get you out of there as soon as possible." Heidi crept past Dean and moved over to check Gina's vitals. Jordan and Lachie kept working on the rest of the house, moving away debris. They stopped when they found a pooling puddle of blood.

"Dean!" They called. Lara saw her chance, and slipped past Vince to where Heidi was assessing Gina. Dean moved carefully across the unstable structure towards Lachie and Jordan, Chase staying with Heidi and her patient.

"Aunt Gina?" A tear slipped down her cheek as she crouched down near her head. Heidi looked at Lara, and then turned her attention back to her patient.

"Oh baby. I'll be alright." Lara stroked her aunt's hair out of her face.

"It will be. Don't worry." Heidi took Lara aside.

"Her blood pressure is too low. I think she's bleeding out somewhere, possibly internally." Lara's face blanched, and then she shifted into action.

"Then we need to get her out." She scrabbled across the shattered tiles and started pulling things off. Heidi followed her.

"Lara, stop!" Dean heard Lara's name, and turned.

"What are you doing?"

"I need to get her out. She's going to die!" She struggled to lift a beam. The shifting movement caused her aunt's body to move, and the monitors started beeping urgently. Heidi ran around to where Gina was.

"She's crashing!" Jordan jumped down off the building and ran for the defibrillator, but Lara beat him to it. She grabbed it, and whirled around, sprinting for Heidi. She pulled open the kit with shaking hands, and attached the pad. As soon as it was charged, she hit the pulse button. Gina's body jumped up with the shock, and relaxed again. Still the monitor showed nothing.

"Come on!" Lara cried, tears running down her face. She pressed the button again. A jolt, still nothing.

"Please Aunt Gina, don't leave me. I need you." Lara pressed the button. A shock swept through Gina's body, and the monitors started blipping gently, indicating she was alive.

"She's back!" Called Heidi. The team let out a collective sigh of relief. Dean went back to Jordan and Lachie, and Lara and Chase worked to free her aunt. Jordan took Dean aside.

"Lara ok?" Dean nodded.

"She'll be fine.

"We've found Bill. He's unconscious, but still breathing for the moment. He's trapped under his bookcase." Dean nodded.

"Ok, let's work at getting him out." Jordan moved forward, back to moving debris off the man. Lachie tossed aside roof shingles and bits of wall like they were feather light, desperate to get to the man for Lara's sake. As Jordan pulled away the last pressing beam, Dean jumped down to where Bill lay.

"Lachie, toss me down a medi-kit." Lachie slung his off his shoulder, and dropped it down to Dean. He pulled out the oxygen and put the mask around Bill's face. His vitals were ok and he was a good colour.

"Jordan, can you come down here, help me move this case?" Jordan climbed down into the hollowed out area and joined Dean. Together they hoisted the heavy book shelving off Bill's still body. Lachie passed them down a spine board, and Dean and Jordan transferred him onto it. Dean and Jordan lifted the board, passing it up to Lachie and Chase. The four of them transferred Bill into the back of the ambulance.

"Dad?" Lara ran toward the back of the ambulance. Dean grabbed her.

"Lara, they'll take care of him. Stay calm," he said firmly.

"How can I stay calm? You pulled my father out of a building unconscious!" She tried to escape his grip, but he kept a firm on her.

"Let me go!"

"Lara, please. Go back to Gina. Help Heidi with her. Vince will go with Bill; make sure he's ok for you." She nodded, and turned back to the house, heading for Heidi and her aunt. Chase and Lachie had moved back to shifting some of the wreckage keeping her aunt pinned, transferring the mess carefully. Lara stroked her aunt's hair out of her way, Heidi sitting next to her keeping a watchful eye on Gina's vitals. The boys finally got down to the last beam, the one keeping Gina trapped.

"Ok, stop," said Dean.

"We need to do this carefully." Working in tandem pairs, the boys shifted the beam slowly and carefully. Heidi monitored Gina, watching for a spike or peak. The boys tossed the beam away over towards the pile they had slowly been creating. Heidi and Lara shifted Gina onto a spine board, and lifted her up. Lara was feeling dizzy, and indicated to put the board down. They lowered it, and Lara sat down quickly. Dean rushed over.

"You okay?" She smiled weakly.

"Just a little dizzy, I'll be fine." He nodded, and patted her on the back.

"Okay. Sit for a while until it passes, and I'll help Heidi with Gina." He moved onto the other side of Heidi, but before he could lift the board, the monitors started beeping again.

"She's not breathing!" Heidi checked her vitals, and hooked up the defib again. She sent a shock along the pads, but nothing happened. Heidi continued in this fashion, until Dean put an arm on hers.

"Call it Heidi. She's gone." Heidi had tears streaming down her face, and felt for Lara, and the pain she was going to feel in a few minutes.

"You can't stop, Dean! She's my aunt!" He stood up quickly, and caught her before she got to the defib.

"Don't Lara. It's too late. She's gone." She beat her fists against his chest, and he held her for a few minutes, until she pushed him away. He looked her once, and then returned to Heidi and the board. Together they loaded Gina into the back of the ambulance, and closed the doors. Jordan embraced Heidi, watching as her tears fell. Lara sat on the ground, arms folded around her knees, as she watched her world spiral further out of control…

* * *

 

Lara sat on the curb, head in her hands. Her heart was pounding as she contemplated life without her dear aunt. Dean came over to her, and she stood up, shaking slightly. She felt light-headed and dizzy.

"Lara? Are you alright?" She waved off his concerns.

"I'll be fine, I just need a hug." He pulled her close against his rough rescue uniform. The whole team felt Lara's sadness and despair. Jordan, Lachie, Chase and Heidi packed up in the background, trying to be quiet. Lara sobbed against Dean's chest as he held.

"What am I supposed to do without my aunt? She's the one who would have bought all the baby things, stayed with me the whole time. She's my aunt, she's supposed to be in control. What am I going to do?" Dean stroked her back, holding her close before he spoke.

"Lara, I will always stand by you no matter what. I've told you that time and time again. Michelle will impart her baby wisdom on you whether you ask for it or not, and we'll all help with the baby stuff. Your baby will pretty much become Rescue property, and will be well and truly looked after by loving aunties and uncles." She smiled up at his face.

"Thanks Dean." She kissed him on the lips, and moved away.

"We better help them clean up."

* * *

Jordan and Heidi went home afterwards, both lost in their own thoughts. They went to Jordan's house, and sat together on the couch. They needed a rest for a while before even think about lunch. Jordan lay back on the couch, and Heidi nestled in next to him, and intertwined her fingers with his.

"I feel so bad for Lara. I mean, losing your aunt. That's a big thing, especially with a baby on the way." Jordan kissed the top of her head.

"I know how she feels. It's like the biggest hole in your heart." Heidi looked up at him.

"How would you know?" She asked, puzzled.

"My dad died a few years back, before I was rescued by Dean. He was killed in a car accident, the car was hit by a semi-trailer. The other driver had fallen asleep at the wheel. Dad had no chance. After he was gone, I was so angry with the world, convinced that some entity higher than me had just taken him away in some bizarre act of cruelty. That's when I started street-racing. I needed the adrenaline to feel; I was so numb after he died. Like someone had taken away a limb. It wasn't until I had my accident that I realised I was being ridiculous, that while yeah, he was gone, he was still a part of me. It's taken me a long time to get to that point. So I can relate to how Lara will be feeling." Heidi laid her head back on his chest.

"I had no idea; you never told me."

"You never asked me." She laughed.

"Do you think she'll be ok?" She asked.

"Dean will look out for her. She'll be fine."

"I hope so."

* * *

Lara sat in the patrol, Dean driving. She noticed her heart pounding, and could feel the sweat beading on her forehead.

"Hey Dean, do you think we could stop for lunch?" She asked, trying to keep her voice steady. He nodded, and pulled into the car park near the local fish and chip shop. She dashed inside, and bought a fruit drink, guzzling it. Dean followed her in at a more sedate pace, and ordered lunch for them both.

"You a bit thirsty there Lara?" He joked. She nodded at him. She needed to avert a hypoglycaemic attack, and the juice was the quickest way to do that. Lunch would help her feel better as well. She didn't want to collapse in front of Dean, and then him find out. She didn't want to stress him anymore than he had been. They sat in their favourite booth, and Dean opened up the greasy paper, spreading it flat. Lara devoured almost half the pile of chips, savouring every bite. Dean looked at her, astonished.

"Geez Lara, I know you're eating for two, but this is a little far." She nodded, and pulled back a little.

"I know, I'm just so hungry." They finished quickly. Dean offered to drive her to the hospital to see her Dad. Vince had given them no news so far. She climbed back into the patrol, eager to get to the hospital, to see her father.

When they arrived, she practically flung herself out of the patrol and dashed inside. She saw Vince, and stopped in her tracks. Tears streamed down his usually composed face.

"What? What is it Vince?" He tried to take a deep breath.

"I'm so sorry Lara. Your dad had a heart incident on the way here. He didn't make it." He cried harder, sorrow filling his heart.

"No. He was still alive when he left the accident site!" She spun on her heel and ran out the door, tears blurring her own vision. She ran past Dean, who called her name. She didn't look back at him. She didn't know where she was going to go, she just had to get away. She now had no family, no-one to really turn to when things got rough. Her baby would never know it's grandparents. She sobbed harder, but kept running. She might be almost eight weeks pregnant, but it wasn't going to stop her. She pounded the pavement, struggling to see where she was going. She stopped when she finally got to a park, and sat under one of the leafy tree's, and cried harder than she had ever cried before. She knew the stress wasn't good for the baby, but her heart was aching so badly from the loss of her family that she didn't care. She gasped as she sobbed.

"Why me?"

* * *

Dean stayed with Vince for a little while longer, then offered to drop him back to the station. Kate would take him home from there. After checking at HQ, and not finding her there, Dean started scouring the streets for Lara. He didn't want her to be alone with her grief. He had no idea what she would do. He tried calling her phone, but she didn't answer. He grabbed Chase and Lachie, and got them to come help him look for her.

* * *

Lara tried to dry the fast-flowing tears, but struggled. She could feel herself shaking, and felt faint. Her stomach growled quietly at her, and sweat beaded gently on her forehead. She knew something was going to happen, and knew it would happen soon. She pushed herself up the trunk of the tree, struggling to stand. She tried to walk back to civilisation on unsteady legs, and knew it wouldn't work. She realised she needed Dean, and with shaking fingers, dialled his number. He picked up on the first ring.

"Lara, where are you?" He asked, concerned.

"I don't know, I need you though. Something's going to happen."

"What's going to happen?"

"I don't want to tell you, you'll be angry." Her voice was wavering.

"Lara, I'm conferencing this call to Chase and Lachie in the other patrol." He pressed his phone, and brought Chase and Lachie into the confusing conversation.

"Did you find her?" Asked Chase.

"Well, yes and no. She's on the line now, and she won't tell me where she is, or what's going on," said Dean angrily.

"I'm in a park. I can't remember how I got here though." Lara sat down quickly, feeling her world spin around her.

"Describe what you can see." She did so, her words starting to slur.

"Lara, stay with me," said Dean, now concerned more than angry.

"I'm trying." Her head ached, and all she wanted to do was sleep. She struggled to keep her eyes open.

"I know where she is Dean, it's the park near the hospital," said Chase suddenly. Dean swore, and pulled a U-turn in front of traffic. He flipped on the sirens. Something was happening to Lara, and he had to get there now.

Lara watched as her world swayed and tilted in front of her, confusing. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her head felt like someone had smashed it in. She rubbed her slight baby bump.

"I'm sorry baby," she murmured. She closed her eyes, her body feeling like it was tilting a swaying in a strong breeze. She leaned back, and lay on the ground. At least if she did faint, she wouldn't fall very far.

"Dean, where are you?"

* * *

The wheels spun on the patrol as Dean pushed it to its limits. Lachie and Chase followed closely behind, their own siren blazing. He screeched to a halt at the curb near the park.

"Grab your medi-kit's," he instructed, jumping the low fence.

"Lara!" He called. He couldn't see her. Lachie and Chase fanned out, trying to cover as much ground as possible. They would have given up, had they not noticed the crowd of people at the far side of the park. The three Gallagher brothers sprinted towards the throng of people.

"Move, get out of the way!" They got to the centre, only to discover they were breaking up a fight between two adolescents. Dean continued scanning the park, until he spotted a shaking figure in the opposite corner.

"Lara!" He yelled. Chase and Lachie followed him as he dashed toward the person. As they got closer they saw the blonde hair and the rescue uniform, and they knew for certain it was Lara. Dean got to her first, sliding across the grass. Her necklace was choking her in the midst of her convulsions. He ripped it off and handed it to Chase, who pocketed it. She gasped involuntarily. Lachie pulled out his mobile and dialled triple 000. They arrived in minutes. Dean watched as they loaded her into the ambulance, and got in with her. Chase could take back the other patrol. He held her hand, rubbing it gently as she lay on the stretcher, unconscious.

"Oh Lara, what have you done?" The paramedic pushed him aside, to get the monitors attached. They arrived at the hospital and were ushered in straight away. The doctor grabbed her file on the way past. He directed his questions at Dean, and they came thick and fast. Things like whether she had eaten, whether she was complaining of abdominal pain. Dean's head spun as the doctor continued hounding him for answers. After he raised his hands in defeat and said he didn't know anymore, he was left alone. They did a blood test, and left the room. Five minutes later they came running back in, one of the nurses brandishing a needle.

"What's going on?" Demanded Dean.

"She's a diabetic, why didn't you tell us? She's in a hypoglycaemic state, and she needs glucagon. Roll her into the recovery position," she ordered the other nurses in the room. The nurse pushed the needle into Lara's IV line, and stood there, watching. The other nurse watched the time.

"What are you doing?" Asked Dean. He felt so confused.

"It should take her fifteen minutes to come out of it." He nodded, and waited. Time ticked by slowly, seeming to mock him. He wrung his hands nervously, biding the time. After fifteen minutes, she opened her eyes. The nurses were over her like flies, checking vitals of both her and the baby, and they had an ultrasound technician come in to check on the baby. The technician, Jenny, ushered the nurses out of the room.

"Hi Lara, my name's Jenny. We're going to take a look at you and your bubby, and see how you're going." Lara nodded, nervous. Dean sat next to her, holding her hand. Jenny squeezed some gel onto Lara's bump, and smeared it across using the ultrasound wand.

"Alright, let's see what we've got." She looked across the screen, observing.

"How far along are you Lara?" She asked.

"About six or so weeks." Jenny looked at the screen again, and looked back at Lara.

"Are you sure?" Lara nodded.

"That's what my obstetrician worked out." Jenny looked puzzled.

"Why, what's wrong?" Asked Dean, reading the look on Jenny's face. Lara tried to sit up to see her face.

"Well, based on your baby's development, you're about twelve weeks along. You're so fit that you're not showing as much." Lara sighed, and leant back.

"How long has it been since you've been to the obstetrician?" Asked Jenny.

"Around six wee…" Lara trailed off. Jenny nodded.

"You forgot to add on those weeks." Dean smiled.

"Other than that, you're fine. I see your obstetrician noted on here you don't want to know the gender of your baby?" Lara shook her head.

"No thank you." Jenny smiled, and stood up.

"I'll see you later Lara, when you're about eighteen weeks." Lara nodded, and Jenny exited the room. Dean sat next to her on the chair, and put his head in his hands.

"You had me worried today Lara."

"I know Dean. I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you tell me what's been going on?" She gulped. He knew. She wondered how he had found out.

"You've just been so stressed, about everything. And it gave you one more reason to fuss over me. I'm fine Dean."

"You're not fine Lara. Have you been checking your blood sugar like you're supposed to?" She shook her head.

"Lara, you can't do that. You could go into a coma, or die." A tear slid down her cheek.

"It doesn't matter anymore. My aunt and my dad aren't here." She burst into tears, and Dean realised how depressed everything was making her; the baby, the death of her father and her aunt, her health issues. He got up and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her forward into a hug.

"Lara, I had no idea." She cried into his chest, holding him tight. He pulled her back to look her in the eyes.

"We'll always be here for you Lara. Everyone; Lachie, Chase, Heidi, Jordan, Michelle, Vince, Kate, heck, even Dad and Fiona are excited about this baby. And it's not mine. We'll be here to help you. Michelle's already looking into funerals for you and is arranging everything." Lara could only cry harder. She tried to compose herself, and eventually brought it down to only sniffles. She choked out a few words.

"Thank you."

* * *

Michelle sat in her office, calling funeral agencies, organising Bill and Gina's burial. After she'd finished, she put her phone down, and put her head in her hands. She was worried for Lara, and hadn't heard from Dean yet. She was about to call him when Vince stuck his head in the door.

"Dean rang, Lara's ok."

"What happened?" Asked Michelle.

"Turns out that this pregnancy has caused her to become diabetic. She was in a hypoglycaemic state when Dean, Chase and Lachie got to her. She's been treated at the hospital, and she's alright at the moment." Michelle sighed, and Vince walked in and sat down.

"What's on your mind?"

"She's just lost both her father and her only aunt; the two people that would stand by her and support her with this pregnancy and birth, and now they're gone. I have no idea what I would do in this situation. I imagine I would be distraught." Vince nodded.

"She has us. You and I and the rest of the team are going to help her get through this. You're a mum, you can give her all the baby advice, and I can give her all the fatherly advice." Michelle leant back in her chair.

"That's not a bad idea," she said.

"Have you put it forward to the rest of the aunties and uncles on the team? Oh, and we have to organise a baby shower, and redecorate her house, and help her out with baby-sitting…" Vince put up his hands.

"Stop! I'll send Kate in and you two can discuss this." She laughed.

"You'd be a fantastic grandfather Vince." He backed out of the door, and sent Kate inside. She sat on a chair in front of Michelle's desk, the same one her father vacated moments ago.

"We need to plan everything for Lara and her baby."

* * *

Heidi appeared at the doorway of Lara's hospital room.

"Hey babe. How are you?" Lara smiled.

"Better now you're here. What are you doing here?" A grin spread across Heidi's face.

"I'm here to spring you and take you for a girl's day out. Michelle and Kate are outside. We're having a total girl's day. Jordan's taking the rest of the boys out for a beer at the pub." Heidi stuck her head out the door and called a nurse. One came in carrying discharge papers. Lara signed them, and got dressed in the clothes Heidi brought her. She was glad Heidi had avoided bringing fitted clothes; her small baby bump made her feel awkward and fat, and her pants were too tight when she had to wear them. She slid the dress over her head, and grabbed her handbag from Heidi.

"Let's go." Heidi linked arms with her, and led her outside. There in the parking lot sat a white stretch hummer. Kate and Michelle stood outside, leaning against the doors.

"What's this?" Asked Lara in surprise.

"We thought you needed a fun day out, and we organised it." Kate's voice was full of glee.

"I pulled in some favours. We got the hummer for free, and we're going for lunch first," said Michelle.

"Where are we going for lunch?" Asked Lara, barely containing her enjoyment.

"We've had your favourite restaurant cleared for a quiet lunch." Lara whooped with delight.

"Let's go!"

* * *

After lunch, the girls took Lara shopping for some maternity clothing. Michelle knew she would be feeling fat and uncomfortable, and along with everyone on the team, had contributed to a fund to get her some stylish new wear. Together they giggled and showed off clothing, enjoying their time together. After they had finished, Lara had a whole new wardrobe for the next six months, and they headed off for a fancy afternoon tea, laden with shopping bags. As they sat sipping tea, they reminisced about their day.

"Guys, I want to thank you for doing this. I've had so much fun, and this all means so much to me." The girls nodded.

"There's more," said Kate.

"How much more?" Asked Lara incredulously.

"When you're ready, and you've worked out whether you're going to live at Dean's or your old house, we're going to do up the nursery for you, make it beautiful." Lara looked down and wiped away a tear. Heidi put an arm around her.

"What's up?"

"This is something my aunt would have done for me."

* * *

The boys sat around in the pub, drowning themselves in beer. Lachie and Chase were singing a footy song, while Jordan and Dean reminisced about the days before they were tied down by women.

"Well, yours is getting fatter by the minute mate." Dean looked at Jordan.

"What did you say?"

"Your girlfriend's so fat she beeps every time she goes backwards." Dean's fist connected with Jordan's face, and soon they had a full-blown pub brawl on their hands. Lachie and Chase tried to pull them apart, but with little success. The club bouncers pulled them off each other, and kicked them out. When the girls came around to pick them up, they were shocked to see their sorry, bruised faces sitting on the curb. Heidi ran to Jordan.

"Babe, what happened to your face?" His nose was bleeding a little, and she pulled a tissue out of her bag and handed it to him. He took it gratefully.

"Thanks gorgeous," he slurred. Heidi crinkled her nose.

"How drunk are you?" She demanded. Jordan swayed a little.

"Bout this much," he replied, holding his arms out. Dean was no better. He leant over and threw up on the ground. Lara stepped back, a look of distaste on her face. Between the four girls, they helped the boys into the hummer, and dropped them home. After seeing Dean's drunk state, Lara was going to stay at Heidi's with Kate, and Michelle was going home to James.

* * *

Heidi, Lara and Kate sat in the kitchen, comparing paint cards, working out the nursery colours. Kate was helping her, and as Lara sat there, she could feel the signs of a hypo coming on. She stood up, shaking, and sat on the floor, head spinning. Kate called out to Heidi.

"Heidi, I need you." Heidi dashed out of the kitchen where she was making dinner for the three of them, and looked between Kate and Lara.

"What's up?"

"Can you go to Lara's bag and grab out her blood glucose machine?" Heidi nodded, and ran to the living room. She returned quickly, and passed the machine to Kate. She pulled out the needle, and pricked Lara's finger. She put the blood on the test strip and put it into the machine. It came up at two point three. Kate directed Heidi as to what to do.

"I need something sugary; some lollies, fruit juice, something. She's going into a hypo, and we need to right her blood sugar." Heidi dashed into the kitchen, and came back with a cup of apple juice. Kate held it up for Lara.

"Come on Lara, you need to drink this."

* * *

 

Dean lay on his bed, the room spinning. He had no idea how much he had drunk, or what he'd said, but he knew he can't have done anything good. He stumbled out of bed, heading for the bathroom, nausea filling his entire being. He made it to the toilet, with little time to spare. After throwing up for what seemed like hours, he headed back to his bed. Fatigue crept over him as he lay his head down on his pillow. He closed his eyes, thinking he'd just lay there for a little while until he felt better.

* * *

Lara slept through the night with no issues. Kate and Heidi took turns waking her to check her blood sugar levels so last night's events didn't repeat. She awoke, ravenous with hunger. She padded into the kitchen, where Kate was making breakfast.

"Morning sleepyhead." Laughed Kate.

"Morning," Lara yawned.

"You want breakfast? I made pancakes," said Kate. Lara nodded, and Kate flipped a small stack onto her plate. Lara dug into them quickly, hungry. Heidi stepped into the kitchen, her hair mussed badly.

"Morning. How did we all sleep?" She asked.

"Pretty good. I didn't have Dean rolling over next to me all night, so I had a decent rest." Heidi nodded.

"That's good. Oh, you've made pancakes. Thanks Kate." Kate slid another stack onto Heidi's plate. She turned and set the pan down on the stovetop, and then faced the girls.

"Michelle rang. All four of us are on today. Seems the boys got a little too drunk. Dad will man the station, and us four girls will deal with rescues. Some of them Michelle will palm off to one of the other units if she can." Heidi and Lara nodded. Lara stood up.

"If we don't move, we'll be late."

* * *

Chase rolled over in his bed. Feeling a warm body beside him, he rolled over quickly, and fell out of bed. Staggering to his feet, he pulled back the covers.

"Who are you?" He demanded. She rolled over and batted her eyelids.

"Don't you remember Chasie? My name is Jess. We met last night at a bar. You said you wanted a night of fun, so we came back to your place." He looked at her, then ran to the bathroom to throw up. She came in behind him, her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders and onto her chest. She was beautiful, but Chase didn't have time to contemplate her looks. He was busy heaving over the toilet. She picked up a face washer from his sink, and dampened it. She wiped over his slightly sweaty face, and then helped him up.

"How much did you drink last night?" She asked, helping move his body back to the bed. She got him in, and covered him with the blankets. He tried to push her away, worried about what she might do while he was asleep.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything. I'm more concerned about you." He nodded, his eyes already drifting closed. She crept out of his room, and was met in the doorway by Lachie.

"Who are you?" He asked sleepily.

"Just a friend of Chase's. Don't go in there, he's just fallen asleep." He nodded, and turned back down the hallway, staggering back to his own room. Jess let herself out, locking the door behind her. As she did, she realised she left her bra in his room. She wanted to meet Chase again, to know him when he was a little more sober. She decided to come back later and meet him face to face, and to collect that darned bra. She ran down the stairs, and outside into the fresh air.

* * *

Jordan awoke in the back of his car, drool on his face. He hurriedly wiped it off, and sat up quickly. He hit his head on the low roof, and swore. Rubbing his tender head, he tried to remember where he was and what he'd done last night. He remembered drinking with Dean and the boys, whilst the girls had a shopping day. As the memories flooded back, he remembered insulting Lara to Dean's face. He touched his blackened eye, wincing as he felt the bruised flesh. He could still feel the contact between his face and Dean's clenched fist, and knew he should go and apologise. He climbed awkwardly into the front seat, and kicked the car over, starting the engine with a roar. He pulled out into the traffic, and headed for Dean's place, hoping he could forgive him for what he said.

* * *

Dean awoke to someone bashing on his front door. He got up, and after running into two doorframes and falling over the coffee table, groggily opened the front door. Jordan stood in front of him.

"Is it alright if I come in?" he asked. Dean allowed him inside.

"No more comments about my pregnant girlfriend, ok?"

"Look Dean, what I said last night was way out of line. I'm so sorry. Alcohol makes me lose my inhibitions, and I don't even know what made me say that. Mate, I didn't mean it." Dean looked at Jordan, and the sincerity on his face, and stuck out his hand.

"It's ok. It's been said and done, let's put it behind us." Jordan took Dean's hand, and shook it. Dean released Jordan's hand after a few minutes, and spoke.

"Let me get dressed. We should get to the station and explain ourselves to the girls. We didn't behave to well last night."

* * *

At the station, Heidi, Lara, Kate and Michelle sat around Michelle's office, discussing baby names.

"What would you name your baby if it's a girl Lara?" Asked Kate, curious.

"I'm not telling guys." The girls all groaned.

"Why not Lara?" Asked Heidi.

"Well, if I tell you, then you will all want to have your input. I can't have that. I've picked my names, and that's that. I haven't even told Dean yet." The girls giggled. A knock on the door announced Dean and Jordan's presence. Michelle let them in, apologetic looks on their faces.

"What's up?" Asked Heidi.

"We wanted to apologize for being so drunk last night; we shouldn't have been." Heidi stood up and touched Jordan on the arm.

"It's ok. We had a girl's night in instead. You'll keep." Dean went to Lara.

"Lara, I'm sorry I didn't spend time with you last night. I shouldn't have gotten so drunk. It won't happen again, I promise." She looked him in the eyes, then kissed him on the forehead.

"It's ok Dean. I trust you."

* * *

After a quiet dinner at home, Dean and Lara snuggled up together on his couch, watching a movie. She was glad to be back with him. She'd only been gone one night, and it felt like she was coming home. He kissed her gently.

"How would you feel about moving in here permanently?" He asked.

"Are you sure?"

"Well, I have two extra bedrooms. We can redecorate one for the baby, and use the other one as a playroom or an office. It would be better here than your one bedroom apartment." She leant up to him and kissed him on the lips.

"Dean, I'd love to. The girls will be excited."

"Why is that?" he asked, puzzled.

"They've offered to decorate the nursery before the baby comes. I had to decide where I was going to raise my baby before that happened, and now they can do it." Dean squeezed her gently.

"That's great." She leant into his chest, and returned to watching the movie. He interrupted after a little while.

"Lara." She looked at him.

"Hop up for a second; I need to grab something from my room." She sat back, allowing him room to get up. He disappeared into his room, and returned quickly. He knelt down in front of her.

"Lara, I love you and this baby, and I want you to stay by my side forever, no matter what happens for you or the baby. Will you marry me?" She looked at him, on the floor on his knees, waiting for her answer.

"Yes Dean." He cheered, and swept her off the lounge, bringing her close. She kissed him, lost in the moment. He broke off the kiss, and looked her in the eyes.

"I love you Lara." She pecked him on the cheek.

"I love you too Dean Gallagher." He moved his hand down to her swelling abdomen.

"And I love the baby too, and I can't wait to meet him or her." She looked at him.

"Are you going soft Gallagher?" She laughed.

"No," he said quietly. She lifted his chin to look in his eyes.

"You are Gallagher, and that's why I love you." She took the ring out of the box and handed it to him. He took her hand and slipped the diamond ring over her finger. She smiled at him, tears of joy and happiness streaming down her face. He kissed her.

"Don't cry Lara," he said. He wiped away a tear with his thumb, stroking her face. She held his hand, and pulled him up, and motioned for him to sit on the couch. He sat up again, and she leant into his chest. He reclined gently, and stroked her hair. Lara rested on his chest, feeling, for the first time in a long time, that she was safe and secure in her future. Her hand crept down to stroke her baby bump.

"I love you."

* * *

"Alright team, we've got a car accident on the harbour bridge; a truck has rolled, and blocked four lanes, and has caused a five car pile-up. Firies will meet you there to deal with the leaking petrol, and any other chemical hazards. Get moving!" Everyone dashed down stairs to the patrols. Dean, Kate and Lara were paired together this time, the goal being that Kate would replace Lara for a little while when she was on maternity leave. As they sped towards the accident scene, Lara put her hand across and gripped Dean's. He smiled at her.

"Ew you two! Get a room," said Kate jokingly. Lara took her hand away from Dean's, and moved her fingers at Kate. She gasped and took her hand.

"When did he ask?"

"Last night," said Lara smugly. Kate ogled the beautiful ring.

"When's the wedding?" She asked. Lara looked at Dean.

"Probably not til after the baby is born," she replied. Kate released Lara's hand.

"So are you moving into his place?" She asked.

"Geez Kate, you've got so many questions today! Yes, I'm moving in with Dean before the baby is born, and you girls are invited to come over after we've cleaned out the spare rooms, and you can decorate." Kate cheered. Dean pulled up beside the burning wreckage strewn across the bridge, and jumped out. Lara and Kate flung open their own doors, and headed for the back of the patrol, taking out gear. Dean headed for Jake Hudson.

"What's the go?" He asked gruffly.

"Two trapped in the blue car, a woman in the red, one in each the green and the black, a hysterical male in the silver, and the truck driver is a suspected spinal." Dean nodded.

"Any other issues?"

"We've got leaking petrol from one of the cars, so no sparks at the moment." Dean sprinted away to his waiting team.

"Lara, red. Kate and Lachie, blue. Chase, silver. Jordan, green. Heidi, black. I'll take the truck driver." They separated. The team was spread thin today, but they knew they could do it. Lara ran over to the red car, no knowing what to expect. The woman inside was crying.

"Hi, my name's Lara. Can you tell me your name?"

"Megan Campbell," she sobbed. Lara assessed her, trying to see the extent of her injuries. All she could see was her head and shoulders, the steering wheel and crumpled front covering her body. Megan's face grimaced.

"Megan? What's going on?" Megan cried harder.

"It's too early, he can't come now," she said, distressed.

"Who can't come now?" Asked Lara.

"My baby. I can feel the contractions. It's too early, he won't survive." Megan was panicking. Lara tried to calm her, but it didn't work.

"Rescue Portable Two to anyone who's available. Can someone come help me here please?"

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Two, I'm finished Lara. I'll be there in a second." Dean had finished with the truck driver. He had been an easy extraction, and with some assistance from the ambulance crew, had the driver in and ambulance and on his way in minutes. He sprinted towards Lara and her patient.

"What's up Lara?" He called.

"We need a hospital on standby. She's gone into labour." Dean checked her over himself.

"Should be able to move her if we grab a combi-tool." Jordan and Heidi ran over, having finished with their own patients. Lara stepped back, allowing Heidi to attach heart monitors and give the woman oxygen. Jordan went to help Dean with the tools. The two boys returned quickly with the combi-tool.

"Move aside Heidi and Lara." Jordan put a patient-shield over Megan's body. Dean wedged the tool in the doorframe, and prised it apart. They pulled Megan out and onto a spinal board. An alarm told them her oxygen stats were dropping, along with her blood pressure and heart rate. Heidi leapt into action, administering medication.

"Dean, she's bleeding from somewhere, probably internally. I can't stop it." Dean flagged down an ambo officer, who came running. He checked her over, and waved down another officer who brought a gurney over. They transferred her onto it, and her stats flat-lined.

"No!" Cried Lara. She jumped up from her crouching position on the ground, and pushed the ambo's aside. She brought her hands down on Megan's chest, trying CPR. Heidi pulled back Megan's shirt, and noticed the large dark bruise that bloomed there. Dean saw it too, and pulled Lara back away from the woman.

"Lara, it's too late. The internal injuries were too great for us to treat." She let herself be pulled into his chest, and cried. Her emotions felt frazzled. The ambo officers wheeled Megan's body away, and loaded her into an ambulance. Dean pulled out a juice from his pack, and passed it to Lara.

"Drink this; otherwise you'll pass out." She drank it, not realising how thirsty she was. The other teams finished, and packed up their gear. It would be left to tow truck drivers to clear up the wreckage now. Dean held Lara close as they walked back to the patrol. Kate decided to hitch a ride with Chase and Lachie.

"It's alright Lara, it's not your fault," Dean said softly as they walked. She pulled away from him.

"It is my fault. I should have assessed her better, told her what the risks were. I just wanted to get her and her baby out safely." The tears streamed down her face.

"Lara, it's ok. We can't save everyone, remember?" She nodded. He kissed the top of her forehead. She climbed into the front of the patrol.

"Part of me hopes that nothing like that ever happens to you. That's something that scares me the most." She smiled at him.

"Something that frightens the brave Dean Gallagher? Never!" He laughed with her. He pulled out into the traffic, watching her and not the road. Lara glanced up.

"Dean! Look out!" Lachie and Chase heard the scraping of metal and squealing of tires as they packed up, and then the tinkling of shattered glass. They looked at each other, and sprinted down the road, medi-kit's slapping their backs as they ran. Kate, Jordan and Heidi followed after them. What met their eyes was not a pretty sight. A mangled car was wedged into the rear side of the patrol. Dean was slumped over the steering wheel. Chase pushed himself harder to get to Dean. Lachie followed. Heidi, Jordan and Kate split up, the girls taking Lara, and Jordan taking the driver. When he got around to the driver's side, he opened the door, and looked on in astonishment.

"Heidi!" He called. Heidi stuck her head around the corner.

"What?" She asked.

"There's no driver."

"What?" She came around the car fully, leaving Kate with Lara. An empty seat sat before them, a weight strapped to the accelerator. It had slipped when the crash occurred, otherwise the car may not have stopped. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know." She left Jordan, and jogged back to Kate. Lara was fine; they just wanted to get her out of the car. Lachie and Chase pulled open Dean's door, dragging him out gently. He was breathing, and awake, just a little groggy, and had a rather impressive bruise flowering on his forehead where he smacked the steering wheel. He pushed them away.

"I'm fine. Where's Lara, is she ok?" She walked around the car, supported by Kate and Heidi.

"Dean, I'm fine." She gasped when she saw the bruise on his head.

"I'll be fine Lara," he said, trying to allay her fears. He got up, unsteady on his feet.

"Where's the driver? I'm going to give him a piece of my mind." Jordan looked at Heidi.

"What?" Asked Dean.

"There was no driver. It was a set-up." The police cars screamed around the corner. Kate had told her Dad what was going on, and Vince thought it wise to alert the authorities. The police piled out, and took statements from witnesses. Lara felt unnerved. The others stood around her and Dean, watching.

"Dean, someone's doing this on purpose. What happens if they get to me?" He enfolded her in his arms.

"I won't let them. You're mine now, and I'll protect you with my dying breath." One of the officers came over to the group.

"Which one of you girls is Lara?" Lara raised a shaking hand. The officer passed her a note. Lara opened it with quaking hands.

_Just because you have his ring on your finger doesn't mean he'll stay with you forever. He will be mine, and I'll do everything it takes… Even if that means knocking you off. Leave him alone now, give back the ring, and maybe I'll spare you and your baby._

Lara dropped the note and slumped quickly to the ground.

"Lara, are you ok?" Asked Dean, concerned. She wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"They're going to kill me," she whispered. The cop crouched down next to her.

"Ma'am, who's going to kill you?" Lara fumbled for the note on the ground, then passed it to the officer. She scanned it quickly, and then looked at Lara.

"How often have you received notes like this?" She queried.

"Not for a while, we were getting them before," said Dean. Lara pulled up her sleeves, showing the officer her scars.

"I was taken a tortured by a Kendra Bradfield, for being with Dean. She tried to force me to say I didn't love him. I thought she was in jail." The cop grabbed her radio, and called back to base, asking for information on Kendra. Lara sat on the ground, rocking gently. Dean crouched down with her, rubbing her back gently. Heidi was in Jordan's arms. She felt worried for Lara, but knew there wasn't a lot she could do. Jordan held her tightly. Kate stood, watching. The officer came back.

"Ma'am, sir. Kendra Bradfield is still in jail. This is someone new, a copycat perhaps. We'd like to take you down to the station to fill in some paperwork so we can start an investigation." Lara nodded, and with the help of Dean and the officer, stood up. They climbed into the back of the squad car, and the officer sped away. Heidi and Jordan traipsed back to their patrol, and Lachie, Chase and Kate went back to theirs.

* * *

Afterwards, Lara and Dean headed home. Dean had a headache, and Lara was exhausted. She needed to eat as well. He pulled into the drive, and turned off the engine.

"Lara, it'll be ok. They'll find who it is." She nodded.

"I hope they do. I don't want to leave you Dean, but if that's what it takes to keep me safe, then I might have to do that." He looked at her with sad eyes.

"You're breaking our engagement?" He asked quietly. She shook her head.

"Not yet, but if I get another threat like that, I might have to Dean. It's not just my life I've got to consider anymore; this baby is a part of things too." He nodded his head, and climbed out. She walked over to the front door, and pulled out her keys. Fumbling to get the right one, she dropped them. Crouching down to pick them up, she found a slip of paper sticking out from the door. She pulled it out, thinking it was about a parcel pickup.

_Lara. Consider this your final warning. I know what I want, and I will get what I want. Watch your back._

She dropped the keys again. Dean came up behind her and picked them up, and passed them to her. When she didn't take them, he unlocked the door himself.

"What's up?" She showed him the letter. He read through it, hands shaking in anger. He looked at her, tears streaming down her face.

"No, Lara. Don't do this, please," he begged. She shook her head.

"I have to Dean," she said softly. She pulled the ring off her finger, and put it in the palm of his hand, and then ran. He called after her, tears falling unheeded down his own face.

"Lara!"

* * *

_Nearby, a stranger watched in the shadows, pleased with the results…_


	6. 4-6: Unavailable

_4-6: Unavailable_

* * *

"Alright team, we've had a car go into a fence near the water at Henley Marine Drive. Chase, you're in charge today, Lara and Kate will go with you." Vince ran his hands through his hair. Dean hadn't been seen by any of the team, his brothers included, for almost a month now, and Vince wished he knew where he was. He'd reasoned that he'd come back after a week, but when he hadn't returned, Vince had to promote Kate to full-time. He watched as Chase, Kate and Lara dashed out of the door. He turned to Lachie.

"Any word from Dean?" He asked. Lachie nodded.

"Just a quick message to say he's taking some long service leave, and that he's not sure when he'll be back." Vince nodded. Not having Dean there was like missing a limb, but he'd have to adjust. He patted Lachie on the back.

"Thanks mate."

* * *

Chase had the sirens blaring as they sped towards the accident scene. Lara sat in the back, staring blankly out the window. Kate sat in the front passenger seat, looking at Chase. Lara hadn't been the same since she broke up with Dean, and everyone in the team knew she wasn't at her best. Vince sending her out on a rescue was his way of trying to get her back on track. Michelle had had some of Lara's uniforms adjusted for her expanding girth, and Lara had gratefully accepted them. She had stopped smiling at work since Dean had left though, and no longer had the drive to do a rescue like she did before. Chase glanced back at Lara.

"Hey Lara, did I tell you that the chick I picked up last month came back? Sure, it was for her bra, but she asked if we could go on another date." Lara tried to take interest, and sat up.

"Is she hot?" She asked. Chase laughed a little.

"Hot damn. One of the hottest chicks I know," he said, "other than you girls on Rescue." Kate punched him playfully.

"Nice save there Chasie," she giggled. They arrived at the scene, where onlookers crowded around. Lara took crowd control, whilst Chase and Kate took the car and their trapped patients.

"Move back please," Lara said flatly. She pulled the barricades from the back of the RTA van that driven up, and placed them a distance away from the accident. The police arrived soon after, taking control of the crowd, and keeping them away. Lara walked around the patrol to Chase and Kate. They had winched up the car, and were trying to assess the patients.

"Lower me down Chase, I'm lighter." He nodded, helping Lara into her harness. She walked over the edge, and got to the rear of the car. A small boy, about four, was screaming in the backseat as his own safety harness held him captive. Lara tried the door, and managed to pull it open. She leant inside the car, and unbuckled the seat. She lifted him out with a little difficulty, and then passed him up to Kate. She was instructed by Chase to give the boy to one of the police officers. Lara moved down the car body, and noticed the front door was ajar. There was no driver inside, and empty seat. A handbag and phone lay deserted on the passenger seat. Lara crept inside carefully, reaching for the phone. The car slipped forward a little. Chase yelled for Lara to get out, but she ignored him. She dragged out the handbag, and brought it back up the slope. She handed it to him.

"Where's the driver?" Chase asked. She shrugged her shoulders. Kate scanned the area, and then pointed in the water.

"Who's that in there?" Someone was trying to swim, arms flailing everywhere. Kate stripped off her shoes, and ran down the slight rocky incline. She dove in, and struck out. Chase followed after her, tearing off his own shoes. Together they struck out to the woman, who was struggling to keep her head above the water. Kate reached her first, helping hold her above the water. The woman tried to push Kate under, but Kate could see it coming. She ducked away from her, allowing Chase to come up behind the woman. He grabbed her from behind, where she couldn't reach him, and started heading to shore. He would have made it, if he didn't feel something catch his foot. It dragged him down. He released the woman, feeling his own body being dragged down. Kate saw the woman bob to the surface, and paddled towards her, dragging her to the sandy edge. Lara, along with a paramedic pulled her up the side, and then dried her off. Lara let the ambo take care of the woman. Kate lay gasping on the bank, sides aching. It had been a while since she'd had to swim like that. Lara looked at Kate.

"Where's Chase?" She asked. Kate sat up.

"He was right behind me." She struck out again. Lara grabbed a pair of goggles from the patrol, and, stripping off her own shoes, followed Kate in. Kate got to where she though Chase was. Lara made it to where Kate was treading water, and handed her a pair of goggles. Kate dove down, and surfaced almost immediately.

"Did you bring your toolkit?" She asked, spitting out mouthfuls of water. Lara nodded, and passed her the kit. Kate pulled out wire cutters, and passed the kit back.

"Chase is trapped. He's not moving." She dove back under. Swimming into the shallow water, she found where Chase was trapped, and snipped the wire that had pulled him under, being careful to not let it catch her. She released his body, and pushed it to the surface. Lara was watching from the surface, and dragged Chase's body to the edge, Kate paddling after her. With the help of a police officer, they pulled Chase up onto the road, where Kate started CPR.

"Come on Chase," she said through gritted teeth, counting compressions. Lara could only sit back and watch. She remembered a time when this had happened to Dean, and they had nearly lost him. She was frozen in fear as the memories flooded back, the concern and the fear. She scrambled away from Chase's limp, ashen body, as paramedics rushed in to help Kate.

"Come on Chase, breathe!"

* * *

_Chase felt his body floating, in the ether known as nothing. He could feel the hard compressions on his chest, the warm air flowing into his water filled lungs, but he couldn't do anything. He felt trapped, unable to go forward or back. He felt the shock in his torso, and his body rose. His heart beat once, and went still. He could feel the darkness closing in, and knew that it would be now he died. Another jolt and his heart thumped irregularly, catching on quickly. He felt the water in his lungs rise up, and he found himself back in his body, throwing up the bilgy seawater that contaminated his lungs._

* * *

"He's back!" Called Kate. Chase felt his lungs burn as they re-accustomed themselves to oxygen. His head felt fuzzy and waterlogged, and he was disoriented. He tried to sit up, but the paramedic wouldn't let him, keeping him in the recovery position until they were satisfied his lungs were clear. Lara crawled over to him, stroking his hair.

"I'm so sorry Chase." He looked up at her, confusion in his eyes. He tried to pull off the oxygen mask, and she held it down.

"I didn't even try to save you. All I could think about was when this all happened to Dean…" She broke off as the tears welled up and threatened to spill. He felt around for her hand, and gripped it tightly. He understood exactly how she felt. He pulled off the oxygen mask, and spoke in a raspy voice.

"Can you call Jess? I'm not going to make our date tonight." He smiled at Lara. She laughed gently, and snapped the mask back on his face. The ambo's came over, and transferred him onto the gurney, and into the back of the ambulance. As he left, Kate packed the rest of the gear into the patrol. Lara came around to help her.

"Thanks for today Kate."

"That's alright. It's not my first water Rescue; I was training to be a lifeguard for a while, but this is way cooler." Lara laughed, and closed up the back of the patrol.

"Do you want to drive today?" Asked Lara. Kate's face lit up.

"I'd love to drive!"

* * *

Back at the station, Michelle was sorting through the station mail. Vince stuck his head in the door.

"How's it going in here?" He asked. She put her head in her hands.

"That bad?" He asked, coming in and closing the door behind himself.

"It's just Ian. This case we've got with Dean and this blackmailer has got him wanting to come back, and I don't know if I'm ready for that." Vince nodded.

"One thing I've learnt from so many divorces is that you should never go back to them. Chances are you reasons were right in the first place, and you should never doubt yourself." She nodded.

"I know. Any word from Dean?"

"Just that he's not sure when he's coming back." Michelle shook her head.

"What's he doing anyway?"

"We've got no idea; I've asked Shane Gallagher if he knows anything, and he didn't even know Dean hadn't been around. Chase and Lachie know nothing." She slammed her hands down on her desk.

"Dammit Dean!" She cursed. Vince pulled over a letter.

"Michelle, what's this?" She tried to take it back.

"Nothing Vince," she said quickly. He flipped it open.

_Michelle, he's gone. What are you going to do now? I hope he's broken your heart, just like he broke mine. I've never been the same since he left. I wonder how Lara is; now she's broken her engagement? Well, now he's unavailable, and will soon become mine._

Vince was shocked. Whoever this was hurting inside was now trying to hurt Lara and Michelle, both loves of Dean's at some point.

"Have you told Ian yet?" He asked. Michelle shook her head.

"I'm tired of him trying to get involved with me again. I don't want a relationship with him; I'm having a hard enough time raising James without having to worry about another fling with him." Vince nodded.

"I'll ring him instead then. We need him to see this letter so we can deal with this person, and get Dean back on the team." Lachie stuck his head in the door.

"Vince, I've got to head over to the hospital. Are you ok with just Heidi and Jordan here?"

"Yeah sure, what's happened?"

"Chase happened. Get Grommet to fill you in on the details when she and Lara get back." Vince nodded and waved him away. Vince stood up.

"I'm going to call Ian. We need him to find this creep so Dean can come back, and Lara can feel safe again."

* * *

Lara and Kate pulled up into HQ. Vince came flying down the stairs.

"What happened out there today?" He asked Kate. Lara left the two of them discussing events, and went inside to shower. She felt chilled after her dip in the water, and headed to take a shower. As she stepped under the warm spray, her hands went back to her ever expanding baby bump, caressing it. Even though in the beginning she had hated this baby, she was learning to love it. Her thoughts went back to Dean and how much he loved this baby, even though it wasn't his. She had hurt him so much by ending the engagement, but she reasoned that it was necessary for her safety. She stepped out of the shower reaching for her towel. Heidi came in.

"How are you?" Lara shrugged.

"I'm okay. I've been better, but I can do this." Heidi nodded.

"How's Chase?" She asked.

"Kate brought him back." Lara sat down on the bench, and put her head in her hands. Heidi sat next to her, rubbing her back.

"What's wrong?"

"I saw him not breathing, and I didn't do anything! I just watched as Kate did all the work. All I could see was when the same thing happened to Dean, and I felt like I couldn't breathe." She cried, and Heidi held her close in a backbreaking hug.

"It's ok Lara."

"Why am I so emotional?" She asked through the tears, almost smiling. Heidi released her, and started talking to her baby bump.

"You're making your mummy sad, and that's not very nice." Lara laughed.

"It's all part of becoming a mum," said Heidi simply.

"Remember Michelle? She was so emotional when she was pregnant with James that we took turns talking to her." Lara laughed. Heidi stood up and held out her hand.

"Come on and get dressed, let's go out for some lunch. My treat."

* * *

Lachie found Chase's room, and stood in the doorway.

"What did you do this time Chase?" Chase laughed.

"Nothing intentional, I swear!" Lachie stepped inside, and sat next to Chase's bed.

"So when are you being released?" He asked. Chase grimaced as he took a breath.

"Not sure yet, they're just checking my lung function. It's not great at the moment, so I'm on observation." Lachie nodded. A knock at the door made both Gallagher's look up. It was Dean, scruffy and unshaven.

"What happened to you Chase?"

"Dean? What are you doing here?" Asked Chase incredulously.

"I heard something happened to you, I had to come see if you were ok." He turned to leave.

"Wait! Where have you been?" Lachie asked, standing up quickly. Dean faced Lachie. He spoke, his voice gruff and cracked.

"I'm trying to find the bastard that's threatening Lara's life." He left, leaving Lachie and Chase to stare at the space where he was standing. Chase gasped a little, feeling the air leave his lungs. His chest was still painful, and he didn't have full lung capacity back. Lachie looked at him.

"You okay?" He asked, concerned. Chase nodded.

"I'll be fine," he wheezed. He beckoned for Lachie to come closer.

"Can you do me a favour?" He rasped. Lachie nodded.

"Yeah mate, what do you want me to do?"

"Find Lara, and make sure she's ok." Lachie bobbed his head.

"Yeah Chasie, I can do that."

"One other thing," he called, just as Lachie went to leave.

"What?" Lachie asked as he turned to face Chase.

"Can you make sure that Jess knows I won't be around for our date tonight?"

* * *

Lara and Heidi sat at a café, enjoying the quiet street around them. Heidi picked at her sandwich, not really hungry. Lara on the other hand, was absolutely ravenous, and devoured her sandwich in moments. She sat back, feeling satisfied. Heidi looked at her.

"Finished already?" She laughed. Lara nodded, and took a sip of her water.

"One good thing about being pregnant is when you're not throwing up; you're ridiculously hungry all the time." She patted her belly as she sat there, a look of pure pleasure on her face. Heidi looked wistfully at her and her baby bump.

"Someday I hope Jordan and I will have kids. One of my biggest dreams is to have a family, and I would love to have that family with Jordan." Lara reached over, and took Heidi's hand.

"Don't wish it all away too soon. It will happen for you and Jordan eventually. I didn't even know you guys were trying." Heidi shook her head, and took a bite of her sandwich, and swallowed.

"We're not; I mean, I don't even know if he wants kids. I know I do though. What if he doesn't? What do I do then? I don't know if I can commit to a guy who doesn't want children." Heidi looked downcast. Lara giggled a little. Heidi glared at her.

"Babe, you can't be like that. You're way ahead of yourself! Ask him if he wants kids. Maybe he'll surprise you." Heidi nodded. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and read the text message.

"Vince wants us back at the stationhouse. Dean's back."

* * *

Lara and Heidi dashed inside HQ as soon as they had parked the patrol. Lara made it to the top of the stairs first, and was faced with a Dean she didn't know, nor the one she remembered.

"Dean?" She asked. He nodded, and held out his arms. She shook her head.

"No. You can't leave for a month, with no word, and expect me to fall in your arms." Dean dropped his extended arms. Heidi crept around Lara to Jordan, and he wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her gently. Lara led Dean around to his desk, and sat on a chair across from him.

"Where have you been? Why haven't you told us what's going on?" She demanded in an angry whisper.

"I've been trying to find whoever it is that's threatening you and Michelle. I want to be back with you Lara, and I know you can't do that whilst you think your life is in danger." Lara nodded. Dean took her hands in his, and stroked them gently.

"I'll come back soon anyway. I've had no leads, no idea who this could be. I'll come back Lara, and with the police and detectives on our side, we can find out who this is. Before the baby's born." He kissed her on the forehead, and stood up, stroking her cheek.

"I'm sorry Lara." The tears streamed down her face.

"Dean, please. Don't go." He walked down the stairs, without a backward glance. Lara sat on her chair, stunned. Heidi came up behind her, and hugged her close.

"He'll be back. Don't worry. He said so." Lara cried on Heidi's shoulder. Michelle and Vince came across to Lara. Michelle took over from Heidi, and held Lara.

"We can look after you Lara. Dean will come back. It'll be ok." Vince rubbed Lara's back, comforting.

"It'll be alright Lara."

* * *

Lachie was dozing in the chair beside Chase's bed. Chase was resting, breathing loudly as he slept. Lachie was awoken by a gentle beeping. He sat up with a start, looking around for the noise. It was Chase's monitors. They alerted anyone within listening distance that Chase's oxygen saturation levels were dropping. Lachie pushed the nurse's button, and leant over Chase. He was gasping now, and woke up, struggling for air. Lachie tried to reassure him, as he looked over. He noticed that his trachea was deviating, and his chest felt inflated to the touch.

"Chase, calm down. The nurse will be here in a second, they can fix this." Chase continued to wheeze as he breathed in. Several nurses rushed in as Chase's face started paling, becoming almost blue. A nurse bustled around to the other side of the bed, lowering it. The other nurse grabbed a needle, and pierced Chase's chest. The air hissed out of the needle, and Chase visibly relaxed. His colour returned a little, as the oxygen flooded his system. He closed his eyes, feeling the pleasant sensation of air filling his tired, sore lungs. Lachie stroked Chase's hair.

"Chasie, don't ever do that to me again."

* * *

Lara sat in her tiny apartment, crying. She wanted Dean's arms back around her, for everything in life to be safe again. Whoever it was tearing her life apart. She wished they would disappear. She wiped her face, and sniffed a little. Kate was coming over later to keep her company, and she needed to regain composure before she arrived.

* * *

A week passed, and Chase was released from hospital late in the afternoon. Lachie picked him up, and took him home. Jess was waiting at the door for him. Lachie knew exactly what was going on, and drove away, heading back to Rescue HQ.

"Jess, what are you doing here?" Chase asked, fumbling for his keys. She smiled at him.

"Lachie let me know when you were coming out, and lent me his house keys. Come on." Chase pushed open the door, not sure what to expect. A romantic dinner awaited him, candles lit, table set for the two of them. He gasped.

"What's this?" He asked. She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside.

"I knew you were coming home tonight, and I wanted to surprise you. Are you?" Chase nodded, dumbfounded.

"It's incredible. Thank you." He pulled her closer, and kissed her. She smiled into the kiss. He released her. Jess motioned for him to sit down, and pulled the dishes out of the oven where they were warming. She'd made an amazing roast dinner, and as she laid it out on the table and served herself and Chase, he was stunned at what a wonderful girl he'd found. She sat down across from him, and held his hands on the table.

"Is this okay?" She asked. He nodded.

"It looks incredible. Where did you learn to cook like this?"

"I loved to cook when I was little, so my mum showed me how. After I got a taste of it, I couldn't stop. I love to cook, and the fact I could do it for you tonight as a special thing just for you made me feel good." Chase rubbed her hands with his thumbs.

"Have I ever told you that I love you?" He teased. Jess blushed a deep red, and she giggled a little. She tried to cover it, but failed.

"Come on, we need to eat this; it'll get cold."

* * *

After dinner, Chase and Jess sat on his couch. He was enjoying her warmth on him, and felt satisfied after an amazing dinner she had cooked for him. He kissed the top of her head as she looked down at his hands.

"You're amazing; did you know that?" She blushed again, and wound her fingers around his.

"I do now," she said quietly. She stretched up and kissed him. He deepened the kiss, hands pulling her closer. He pulled back and looked her in her chocolate brown eyes.

"I love you Jess."

* * *

Lachie pulled up in front of Lara's apartment building after work. Kate had asked him to go instead of her, as she had to go to a dinner with Vince. He obliged, happy for the excuse to see how Lara was doing, and check up on her. He knocked on her door, and waited for her to answer. She opened it, and looked at him.

"I thought Kate was coming over," she said simply. She pulled the door open wider, allowing Lachie to come inside. He stepped inside, feeling a little awkward and out of place.

"Can I get you something?" She asked.

"Just a glass of water is fine Lara." She rinsed a glass for him, and filled it. She put it on the bench for him.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"Kate had to go out with Vince tonight, so she asked me to come over and explain." She nodded.

"You've explained; you're free to go now."

"I'm not going. Not yet anyway. I want to know how you're doing." She pulled a jar out of the cupboard, and banged it on the bench.

"How do you think I'm doing?" She said angrily. Lachie just stood there, watching. She slammed the cupboard doors as she packed dishes away. She whirled around to face him, tears streaking her face.

"I'm pregnant with someone else's baby, Dean isn't here and doesn't call to even check on anyone, and there's someone threating to kill me if I stay with him. How do you think I'm doing?" She sat on a dining chair, and put her head on her folded arms, and let her angry sobs wrack her body. Lachie sat across from her, and let her cry out all her anger. He moved his chair around to her side of the table, and rubbed her back as her weeping subsided to hiccups. He knew part of what she was saying was true, but he also knew that most of her anger was fuelled by hormones. She looked at him, eyes rimmed red.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice cracking. Lara was like a little sister to him now, especially after the relationship that she and Dean were sharing.

"Lara, you're like a sister-in-law already to me. If you can't talk about how you're feeling with me, who can you talk to?" She smiled a little, wiping her face with a sleeve. She looked down at it, and then spoke urgently to Lachie.

"Lachie, can you run to my bathroom and get the tissues please?" He got up, surprised at the sudden change in her voice. He returned with the tissues, and noticed how white her face had gotten.

"What's up?" He asked, concerned. She was pinching her nose. She showed him her sleeve, with a streak of blood across it. He handed her the tissues.

"You ok?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Sit on the floor," he instructed. She was quite pale. She pushed the tissues against her face, as the blood seeped down.

"It'll be alright."

* * *

Chase woke up the next morning, Jess cuddled up next to him. He was content, euphorically happy. He felt a kiss on his cheek, and realised she had woken up.

"Morning," he said quietly. She snuggled in closer to him, his bare chest warmed by her. He looked over at the bedside clock, then came back and kissed Jess again.

"I've got to leave in half an hour, or risk being late to work. If I'm late again, Vince will kill me." Jess shifted, allowing him room to get up.

"You go shower, I'll make you breakfast." Chase nodded to her, and dashed into the bathroom. Jess smiled to herself. She felt so lucky having Chase as her boyfriend. She crawled out of bed, and padded to the kitchen.

Chase ran from the bathroom into the kitchen, hair still dripping. Jess flipped another pancake onto the pile she'd made for Chase. He went to grab them and run out the door. Jess stopped him.

"You have time. Stop and eat for five minutes." He nodded, and sat at the table. Jess brought his breakfast over for him, and sat across from him.

"What are you doing today?" Asked Chase through a mouthful of pancake. She giggled a little.

"Just doing a little shopping; do you mind if I do dinner tonight?" She asked. Chase nodded.

"That's fine. Lachie will probably be back tonight." Chase finished his plate, and put it in the kitchen. He gave Jess a peck on the cheek, and ran out the door. Jess cleaned up, and got dressed. She had to grab a few things before she made dinner for Chase and Lachie tonight, and get a few clothes from home as well. She pulled out of the driveway, and headed for the mall. Traffic was heavy, and she pulled out of her lane into the next.

_She never saw it coming._

* * *

Chase made it to work with minutes to spare. Vince met him at the door, watching the time.

"Nice work Chase. Here on time for a change." Chase smiled, and headed up to his desk. Michelle kept giving him paperwork to fill out, and he was a little over all of it. After half an hour, Vince tramped up the stairs, and leant over Chase's desk.

"Where's your brother today?" He asked. Chase looked confused.

"Dean? I have no idea." Vince shook his head.

"Not Dean, Lachie. He's never usually late. Do you know where he is?" Chase shook his head, just as he heard the front door go. Vince stepped back and peered over the railing.

"You two are late." He said gruffly. Lachie nodded.

"Yeah, we know Vince. It won't happen again." Vince bobbed his head.

"Good! Now get onto your paperwork. Michelle would like it done by today if we can." His phone rang on his desk, and he picked it up. Chase leaned over to Lachie's desk.

"What's going on?" He asked quietly.

"Nothing you should worry your pretty head over Chasie. How was your night with Jess?" Chase's face became enflamed. Lachie laughed and slapped him on the back. Vince put down his phone.

"Chase, Lachie, MVA. You two should be right; take Grommet if you can, she needs the training." The two of them ran down the stairs, and jumped in one of the patrols, Chase grabbing Kate on the way. They sped away, sirens going.

"What's this accident?" Asked Kate. Lachie answered whilst Chase navigated the traffic.

"MVA. We're waiting for Vince to tell us any extra details, but for now, we just need to get there." Kate nodded. Chase's radio crackled.

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable Four, Chase, I've got the name of the patient here."

"Rescue Portable Four, go ahead Vince." Vince pulled out a slip of paper.

"A Jessica Turner is in the small vehicle. It was hit by a truck, and you've got to get her out of the wreckage." Lachie looked at Chase. His knuckles were turning white as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. Lachie put a hand on his arm.

"Pull over Chase; let me drive." Chase pulled onto the side of the road and turned off the ignition. Lachie climbed out and transferred with Chase. Kate watched on, confused. Chase got in the passenger side, shaking. Their radios crackled.

"Rescue Base, what's going on? You guys should be there now. Where are you?" Asked Vince, his voice tinny through the radio. Lachie responded.

"Rescue Portable Seven to Rescue Base, Vince, that patient is Chase's girlfriend. We're on our way now." Lachie floored the accelerator, rushing to get to the accident site, not only for Jess's sake, but for Chase's as well. When they arrived, crowds were swarming the area. Chase ran to the car.

"Jess!" He called. Lachie pulled him back, and let Kate run forward with a medi-kit.

"Chase, you being there won't do any good for the moment. You take the crowd control; let Grommet and I deal with Jess. We'll call you over if we need you." He nodded, trying to regain control. Lachie released him and headed over to Kate.

"How's she doing?" He asked.

"She's bleeding a little, probably has a mild concussion. I've given her oxygen. I'm more worried about her spine, and the possible injury to her legs from the dash." Lachie nodded.

"Good assessment Kate." Jess started to stir.

"Jess. Jess. Stay with us." She pulled off the oxygen mask.

"Where's Chase?" She asked.

"He's here, he's just doing something for us. Can you tell us how you're feeling?"

"I can't feel my legs." Lachie looked at Kate, who got up and sprinted to the patrol. Chase saw her.

"What's going on?" He called. Kate didn't answer him; she didn't know if she should. She grabbed the combi-tool and took it back to Lachie. While she was gone Lachie had secured a cervical collar around her neck. Chase came running over, and skidded to a halt. He looked Jess.

"Babe, are you ok?" She tried to shake her head, but the collar wouldn't allow her.

"Chase," She whispered.

"I can't feel my legs."

* * *

 

Lachie and Chase worked together to get Jess out of the destroyed car. Kate watched the monitor, and then ran over to the ambulance that had arrived to get their spine-board. Between the three rescue officers and the several ambo's on the scene, they got Jess into the ambulance. Chase jumped in the back, and the ambo's closed the door with a slam. Lachie and Kate looked at each other.

"Hope she's ok," said Kate, packing the gear away into the back of the patrol. Lachie shrugged his shoulders.

"I hope Chase is ok."

* * *

After several hours of waiting in the hospital, the doctor came out to see Chase. He jumped up out of the chair.

"Mr. Gallagher?" Chase nodded.

"We've done an extensive set of tests, including x-rays and a CT scan. I'm sorry sir, but Miss Turner's back was broken in the accident. She's now classed as a paraplegic." Chase sat down in the hard hospital chair with a bump. He looked at the doctor.

"Are you sure?" He asked, his voice cracking. The doctor nodded. Chase put his head in his hands.

"Miss Turner will stay here for a week or so whilst we tend to her other injuries. After that, she'll be transferred to a rehab facility." Chase nodded into his hands, and then glanced at the doctor.

"Can I see her?" He asked quietly. The doctor nodded, and led Chase to her room. He walked in, the tears streaming down his face.

"Oh Jess," he said. She tried to look at him, but couldn't. They'd done a surgery on her back to fuse the vertebrae together, but she'd never walk again. The tears formed in her eyes.

"Chase," she said, her voice shaky. He came over and sat next to her bed. He took her hand, and kissed it.

"I'm so sorry Chase."

"Shhh. What do you have to be sorry for?" He asked.

"I didn't see that truck coming. It's all my fault." He pushed back her fringe, and kissed her forehead.

"Jess, it's okay. We'll get through this." That made her start crying harder. Chase was bewildered.

"What?" He asked.

"You're going to leave me; I'm not the girl you fell in love with."

"Jess, I'm not going to leave you. We can get through this together. I still love you, no matter whether your legs work or not. You will still be just as beautiful, and I love you just as much, if not more." She smiled.

"I love you Chase."

"I love you too Jess."

"I won't be able to cook tonight," she said sadly. Chase laughed.

"Babe, it's fine. Lachie and I are grown men, we can fend for ourselves. Besides, I'll be here as much as I possibly can, to be here with you." Jess squeezed his hand.

"I don't ever want to lose you Chase."

* * *

An hour later, Chase rang Lachie to let him know what was going. After the conversation with Chase had ended, Lachie turned to the rest of the team.

"Jess's back was injured in the crash. She's now deemed a paraplegic." Lara gasped.

"How's Chase?" Asked Lara.

"He sounded okay on the phone, but there's a long recovery road ahead for her." Lara nodded.

"It'll be huge, but if anyone can deal with it, Chase can. He's strong." Lachie nodded.

"Who wants to go out for drinks tonight?" Asked Vince, coming out of Michelle's office. A chorus of replies answered him. As they started leaving, Lachie turned to Lara.

"You coming?" He asked her. She nodded.

"Of course."

Afterwards, Lachie dropped Lara home, and walked upstairs to her apartment with her. There was a note taped to her door. She pulled it off as she walked inside. Lachie followed her in.

"Aren't you going to read it?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Why? I know what it'll be about." Lachie picked it up.

"Is this another threat?" He asked. She shrugged her shoulders. He opened it.

_Lara, I know you haven't gotten over him even though he's gone. He'll break your heart just like he broke mine. Stay away from him, or I teach you a lesson you may never recover from._  
  
Lachie looked up from the note at Lara. She'd sat in a corner, knees up. He crouched down beside her.

"Dean's trying to fix this."

"No he's not. How can he? He doesn't even know who this person is! How can you stop something that you can't put a name or face to?" Lachie pulled her up, and sat on the couch with her.

"It'll be ok…" A knock on the door made him stop. Lara went to get it, but Lachie stopped her.

"I'll get it." He flung the door open. Dean stood in the doorway.

"Dean? What are you doing here?" Asked Lara, standing up. Dean came inside, and looked at Lachie strangely.

"Lara, I've come back to try and make things better with you." She sat down on the lounge again. Dean sat next to her. Lachie stayed in the dining room, staying out of the way, but being close enough in case he had to intervene. Dean spoke first.

"Lara, I'm sorry for leaving the way I did. I should have told you what I was doing, let you know." She nodded.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" She asked quietly. He shook his head.

"We have no idea who it is, or who it could be." She looked down, her hands caressing her baby bump. Dean put his hands over hers.

"I will do anything to protect you and the baby. Ian's putting police protection on your apartment, and you and I won't be able to publicly show our affection, but it will be all worth it if we can find out who this is." She nodded, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you Dean Gallagher."


	7. 4-7: Tension

_4-7: Tension_

* * *

Heidi and Jordan lay in bed together. It was a cool night, and they snuggled together, enjoying each other's company. Heidi decided it was time to broach a difficult subject with Jordan.

"Jordan," she said slowly. He nuzzled her neck.

"Yeah babe?"

"How do you feel about having kids?" He stopped and looked her in the eyes.

"Yeah, um…" He trailed off. She sat up on her elbows.

"What?" She asked. Jordan sat back from her.

"You're met my nieces and nephews, and they're all brats. I just don't think I'm ready for that. I mean, I'm fine with other people's kids, but once you've had enough of them, you can hand them back. I don't think I want kids, Heidi-Ho." Heidi threw back the covers, and got up. Jordan tried to follow her. She grabbed her jacket and put it on over her pyjama's.

"Wait, Heidi! Where are you going?" She picked up her handbag and keys. He clutched her arm.

"What did I do Heidi?" She ripped her arm from his grip and walked out the door. He followed her outside.

"Heidi, don't go. Please. What did I say?" Heidi climbed into her car, and drove away, leaving Jordan to stand in his pyjama's in the cold street.

* * *

"Lara?" Called Heidi. She had knocked on Lara's door, and knew she may be asleep. She started to leave, when the door opened.

"Babe? What's wrong? Why are you in your pyjama's?" She ushered Heidi inside, and sat her on the couch. She flipped the kettle on, and came and sat down on the lounge next to her. Heidi was crying and hiccupping. Lara suspected she'd been crying for a little while before she'd come up.

"He… he… he said no." She hiccupped loudly, and Lara rubbed her back, trying to calm her down a little.

"What did he say no about?" Lara felt three steps behind the conversation.

"He doesn't want kids. He doesn't think he can do it." She dissolved into tears again. Lara got up and made herself and Heidi a cup of tea. She brought them over, and set Heidi's on the table. She curled up on the lounge, facing her.

"Did he say anything else?" Heidi hiccoughed again, and nodded. Lara motioned for her to go on, sipping her tea.

"He said he's fine with other people's kids, because you can hand them back once you've had enough. What am I going to do?" Lara reached over to the coffee table and pulled the box of tissues over to the couch. Heidi took the gratefully, wiping her tearstained face, and blowing her nose. Lara waited for Heidi to gather herself together, and then spoke.

"Babe, you can stay here as long as you need to. There's a spare bed in the office. It's not massive, but it's very comfortable." Heidi nodded.

"Thanks Lara." Lara moved off the couch, supporting her back as she shifted. Heidi looked at Lara's baby bump, and started crying again. Lara rubbed her back. Heidi looked up at her.

"Do you mind if I touch it?" Lara smiled and nodded. Heidi's hand crept forward, and she put the palm on Lara's belly. Heidi's face lit up, and she stood up and hugged Lara.

"Thank you Lara."

* * *

The next day Lara headed into work. She left Heidi asleep in the bed. She knew she had stayed up most of the night crying, and that she needed sleep. Lara pushed open the door at HQ, and heard Jordan behind her.

"Lara!" She turned.

"What Jordan?"

"Did you talk to Heidi last night?" Lara just looked at him, folded arms. She didn't say a word. Jordan grew increasingly uncomfortable.

"Did she tell you what I said?" Lara nodded.

"Can you tell me what I did to make her so upset?" Lara sighed.

"If you don't know Jordan, then there's no point telling you." She headed up the stairs, taking them a little slower than normal. She was a little short of breath now, almost five months pregnant. When she got to the top, she sat gratefully in her office chair, feeling slightly dizzy. Dean rolled his chair behind hers, and rubbed her shoulders and back. She moaned gratefully.

"Thanks Dean." He leant up to her ear.

"Dinner, my place tonight?" She shook her head, and put her hand on his.

"I don't think, with everything going on at the moment, that I should be coming over for dinner." He nodded, and patted her gently on the back. She turned to face him.

"So how's bub going?" he asked. She gasped a little.

"What? What's wrong?" He asked, nervous. She grabbed his hand, and pressed it to her bump. Dean waited, then smiled as he felt flutterings under his hand.

"That's… Wow." Dean was almost speechless. Lara looked at him and smiled.

"I know. It's incredible, and it makes this all seem so much more real." He nodded. Jordan came upstairs, and Dean hurriedly pulled his hand away, and turned back to his work. Jordan crouched down next to her.

"Can I talk to you downstairs?" She sighed and nodded. She followed him down the stairs, taking it carefully. He took her into the locker room. She sat on the bench. He sat next to her.

"Lara, please, I need to know how to fix this with Heidi. Please talk to me. I have no idea what I did wrong." Lara leant back against the wall.

"Jordan, I'll put this plain and simple for you. She wants children. You crushed that dream for her last night."

"But I thought she wanted me to be honest. And I was. I don't think I'm ready for this."

"Look Jordan, I don't think Dean's ready for this either, but he's willing to try. And that's the difference. This is a big thing for Heidi." He nodded.

"But I'm not ready." Lara pulled out her phone, and handed it to Jordan.

"You need to call her and hear her side of the story. See it from her perspective."

* * *

 

Jordan tried to get through to Heidi. He really did. She didn't want to talk to him, and hung up every time she heard his voice. She didn't really know what to do. After another night spent at Lara's, she decided to head into Rescue. She wasn't going to talk to Jordan. She didn't know if she could talk to him without getting angry at him. She sat in Lara's car in silence.

"Honey, you've got to talk to him eventually," said Lara, breaking the silence.

"No I don't. It'll be fine." Lara sighed. It would be another long day at work. She pulled into the Rescue car park, and noted that Chase was back today. Lara got out of the car slowly. Heidi bounced out, and was up the stairs before Lara could blink. She shook her head, and headed up the stairs. Heidi was sitting at her computer by the time Lara made it up the stairs, staring intently at the screen, banging the keys like the keyboard had done something wrong by her. Jordan looked over at her, and tried to say something.

"Heidi, please." She ignored him, and continued to abuse her computer. Jordan looked at Lara, who shrugged her shoulders. Chase came up.

"Heidi-Ho. How's it going?"

"Yeah, alright Chase." Her voice was cold and unemotional. He stepped back, a little taken aback by her tone of voice. He turned to Lara, and changed subject.

"How's my niece or nephew going?" She laughed, and rubbed her belly.

"I'm not married yet Chase, you can't make that claim. How's Jess?" He smiled.

"She's going well. She's started rehab, and she's taken to it like a duck to water. We're going to look at moving in together, make things easier for her." Chase's face was practically beaming. Vince came out of Michelle's office.

"Alright team, grab your gear. We're heading to a Rescue in an apartment block. There's been a fire, and it's knocked out the power, and several people are trapped in the lifts. The fire's still going, the firies have it under control, but they need our help with evacuation." Dean started to organise his team.

"Lara, I think you should either stay here, or co-ordinate outside the building. Lachie and Grommet, take the second patrol, Heidi and Jordan take the third. Chase and I will take the first one." Heidi glared at Dean, but he missed it completely. Lara opted to come with them and help co-ordinate outside, and went in the patrol with Dean and Chase. Heidi and Jordan rode over, the silence in their vehicle thick and awkward.

"Heidi…" Tried Jordan. Heidi scowled at him, and looked out the window again. They pulled up to the smoking building, and Heidi got out first. Dean was assessing the situation. Annika Ehrenburg and Jake Hudson were the two lead firies for this rescue.

"We've got two people trapped in a lift, one missing on the rooftop floor, and we need a team to sweep the floors and make sure everyone's out." Jake saw Lara struggling to set up a table. She was facing away from him. He jogged over to her.

"Hey Lara, do you want a hand?" She set down the table.

"Hi Jake. Thanks, that'd be great." He set it up and turned to her. She no longer wore the fitted Rescue top, opting for a stretch tee for comfort. He looked at her, and did a double take.

"Did Gallagher finally make a claim did he?" Lara's face was rigid and controlled.

"No Jake, he didn't. Thank you for setting up." He left, feeling the icy tones of her voice hit his skin. Dean organised the teams.

"Jordan, Heidi, you two can sweep the floors and check everyone's evacuated. Chase, you and I will take the elevator. Lachie, you and Grommet can take the rooftop floor, and find the missing person." The teams split and disappeared. Jordan and Heidi started their sweep. After half an hour, they were up to the fourth floor, the hallways filling with smoke. The floor creaked and shifted underneath their feet, but Heidi didn't say a word to Jordan. He continued on, knocking on doors on one side, and entering to check they were empty. Heidi did the other side of the hall. She opened a door, and went inside to check that the place was empty. It was smoke filled, and she coughed as she walked in further. The floor shifted, and then the floorboards snapped underneath her, brittle from the fire burning underneath. She screamed as she fell.

"Jordan!" He came running, and searched blindly for her.

"Heidi! Heidi, where are you?" He came into the room, choking on the acrid smoke. He noticed the hole in the floor, and crept around it carefully.

"Heidi-Ho, you down there?" He heard her coughing, and then her weak reply.

"Yeah."

"Are you alright?"

"I've got a few splinters, but I'll think I'll be ok. Jordan, the fire's down here, can you let the firies know?" Jordan picked up his radio, and alerted Jake and Annika. Heidi moved from her position on the floor, feeling her ribs twinge. She went over to the main entry door, and tried to open it. It had been key-locked by the owners before the left. She shouldered the door, trying to open it, and received a bruised shoulder for her efforts. Jordan called down the hole.

"Can you get out Heidi?" She came back. Her lungs were burning, and the fire was blazing, hotter than before. She coughed harder, trying to suck in oxygen, but not finding enough.

"Jordan, the doors been locked. I can't open it, and there's no other way out." He ran his hands through his hair, trying to work out what to do.

"Heidi, get over near the door. I'll get a firie to come up and break it down." He heard no reply, only wheezing.

"Heidi. Heidi!" Jordan sprinted down the stairs. He knew Heidi didn't have much time, and he had to get her out quickly. He came outside into the fresh air. Annika bustled over to him, BA slung over her shoulder casually, wielding her standard issue fire axe.

"Jordan, what's going on?"

"Heidi's trapped. I need your help to get her out," he panted. Annika looked at her team, and motioned for Jake to follow her.

"What floor?" She asked, jogging beside him. He sprinted up the stairs.

"We were on the fourth floor and she fell through into the apartment below. The fire's burning there." Jake sprinted ahead of Jordan, up the stairs. They got to the third floor, and Jake looked at Jordan.

"What room were you checking?" He asked. Jordan racked his brains.

"I think it was the twelfth apartment." Jake and Annika pulled on their breathing apparatus, and suctioned them to their faces. Jordan left his down in the patrol, and was coughing as the billowing smoke filled his lungs. Annika and Jake counted the doors, and got to the twelfth door. Jake aimed his axe and pulled it back, swinging it hard. It bit into the door, and he pulled it out. After several repetitions of the process, the door finally gave in a little. Jake gave it a hard kick with his boot, and he and Annika entered the room. Heidi's body was crumpled on the floor. Annika went to deal with the fire, and Jake lifted up Heidi's limp body. Jordan tried to follow Jake inside, but he was pushed back. Jake headed straight for the stairs. Jordan radioed ahead for medical assistance. As they reached ground level, ambo's swarmed around Jake, bringing over a gurney. They loaded her onto it, and attached an oxygen bag, pumping it gently, whilst another ambo compressed her chest.

"What's going on?" Asked Jordan. Another ambulance officer tried to make him step away.

"Sir, let us do our job," said the ambo, pushing him away.

"She's my fiancé, I can't just leave her. Tell me! What's going on?" Demanded Jordan. The ambo glanced back, and then sat Jordan down on the curb.

"Sir, your fiancé isn't breathing. She's got severe smoke inhalation, and a mild concussion from where she fell. We're treating her now, but we need to get her to a hospital." Jordan put his head in his hands, feeling distraught. The ambo left him to help the others with Heidi as they loaded her into the ambulance and drove away, sirens screaming. Lara came running over from the command station.

"Jordan, what's going on? I had to get Kate and Lachie to finish your job." She spoke, breathless. She sat next to him on the curb. The other two teams came running down the stairs, finished with the job.

"Heidi was in an accident. She fell through the floor into the apartment below. That's where the main fire was. She said she was fine, and she wasn't." Lara patted him on the back, trying to calm his obviously frazzled demeanour.

"She'll be heading to the hospital now, and that's the best place for her to be." He nodded, feeling the stress of everything catch up with him. He took a deep breath.

"Take the patrol and head over to the hospital. We'll be fine packing up here." Jordan nodded.

"Thanks Lara."

* * *

At the hospital, they got Heidi breathing again, and when Jordan got there, she had been admitted. She was in her room by the time he got there, awake, but quite groggy, and was wheezing badly. He came in and sat next to her bed, and held her hand.

"Babe, I was worried about you today." She nodded. She couldn't be angry when she felt like crap. She gasped as she breathed in and out. He stroked her hand gently.

"I thought I would lose you. I was so scared." She nodded again, and closed her eyes. Jordan stayed with her. After a while, he spoke again.

"Heidi. I don't want you to be angry with me anymore." She opened her eyes sleepily and looked at him, a questioning look in her eyes.

"I still don't want kids. I just don't think I'm ready for the responsibility of a baby." She pulled her hand out of his, hurt and anger clouding her eyes.

"Heidi, please don't be like this." She rolled over, facing away from him. He sighed. A knock on the door alerted him to Chase's presence. Jordan looked up, and smiled at his best mate.

"Hey Chase." Heidi didn't roll over. She thought Jordan was bluffing.

"Hey Jordan. How's she going?" Jordan shrugged. Chase motioned for Jordan to get up, and he took his seat. Heidi moved back, rolling over to see Chase's smiling face.

"Hey Heidi-Ho. How you doing?" She smiled at him, and gripped his hand.

"How's Jess?" She rasped quietly.

"She's doing well. They're getting her an awesome wheelchair; metallic pink. She'll also get a black one for work so she's all professional." Heidi shook his hand.

"That's good," she wheezed. He clutched her hand, and looked her in the eyes.

"You had us all scared their Heidi. Don't do that again." She shrugged her shoulders, and smiled as Chase leant forward to hug her. Chase sat by her beside for a while, only leaving when Jess called. Jordan took over, and Heidi turned away again, the tears rolling down her sooty cheeks. She was angry, sad and hurt all at the same time, and felt conflicted. She loved Jordan, and wanted to marry him, but didn't know if she still loved him the same if he didn't want children. The tears flowed faster, and her chest felt constricted and tight. She tried to suck in some needed oxygen, but couldn't quite manage it. She could feel herself starting to black out, and she rolled over, reaching for Jordan's hand, but just missed it. She tried again just as she lost all consciousness. All she heard was Jordan calling her name.

"Hei..."

* * *

Jordan stepped back as the nurses swarmed over Heidi, inserting tubes down her throat, trying to resuscitate her. He felt his face become wet as tears of concern and fear fell down his face. He wiped them away as a nurse ushered him out the door.

"Please sir, we need you to leave." He brooked no argument, and left, sitting on a hard plastic chair in the hall. That was where Chase found him two hours later. He crouched in front of Jordan.

"Dude, what's going on?" Chase asked, looking confused. Jordan gulped, trying to compose himself.

"I'm not sure, she stopped breathing, something happened. They pushed me outside, and haven't told me what's going on." Chase stood up, and flagged down a nurse. She stopped, and looked at him.

"Hi, we're trying to find out what's going on with a patient called Heidi Wilson? Her fiancé is out here, and he hasn't been told anything." The nurse smiled, and flipped the pages on her clipboard.

"Heidi Wilson? Suffering from complications from smoke inhalation, and has been put under strict observations for the next twenty-four hours. I'm sorry, but she can't have any visitors at the moment." She left, and Jordan dropped his head into his hands.

"Come on Jordan. Come back to my place tonight for a beer; get your mind off things." Jordan nodded, and followed Chase out of the hospital. They dropped the patrol back at HQ, and headed over to Lachie and Chase's apartment.

The next day, Chase dropped Jordan off at the hospital on his way to work. He headed inside, and walked up to Heidi's room. He stood in the doorway, and looked at her. She was awake and dressed, sitting on the bed. As he entered the room, she looked at him. He came in, and sat next to her bed, and held her hand. A sense of déjà vu swept over him. She was talking a little more today.

"Hey," said Jordan softly. She smiled at him, and squeezed his hand.

"How are you going today?" He asked.

"I've been better. They say I have to stay in another night or so, but I want out. I'm tired of this hospital and the same four walls," she complained. He grinned a little.

"You haven't even really been here for twenty-four hours, and you already want to leave?" She nodded. A nurse entered holding a small stack of paperwork in her hand. She didn't look happy as she handed it over to Heidi.

"The doctor would like to remind you that he does recommend that you stay for another night." Heidi nodded, and signed the paperwork with flourish before handing them back to the nurse.

"I'll be back with your discharge papers." She left the room. Heidi rubbed Jordan's hand.

"Can you take me to work today?" She asked.

"Babe, do you really think that's wise?"

"I'll go nuts if I have to stay home." He nodded.

"I'll get Lachie and Chase to drive a patrol over for us." She bobbed her head.

"I'll meet you outside."

* * *

Jordan waited in the patrol. Heidi jumped in beside him, and he pulled away from the curb. It was silent on the ride back, until he broke the silence.

"Heidi, we need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about Jordan." He parked the patrol in the drive at HQ, and turned off the engine.

"There is Heidi. What did I say to make you so upset?" She got out of the car, and slammed the door. Jordan followed her as she stormed up the stairs.

"Heidi! Heidi, stop and tell me what I did!" He yelled. Everyone leant over the stair railing. Heidi stopped and looked at him, tears running down her face.

"You said you didn't want kids." He looked confused.

"What does that have to do with anything?" She threw her hands up in the air.

"I want kids Jordan. It's something I've known I wanted for a long time, and I don't know if I can stop wanting that. You've said you don't want kids. If that's the way you feel, I don't know if I can marry you." She pushed past him, and ran out the door. Lara came down the stairs.

"Jordan, you idiot. You're about to lose the girl of your dreams, over something trivial." She shouldered past him.

"Heidi!" She called. She opened the glass door, and looked for her. Lara could hear someone sobbing. She walked forward, and saw Heidi sitting against the garden wall. Lara lowered herself down, and sat next to her.

"Honey, give him time to rethink. He doesn't know what to say at the moment, and the idea of becoming a dad, or having a family other than just you and him, is a big concept to take in." Lara rubbed Heidi's back as she brought her tears under control.

"I just… I just don't know what to do Lara. I want to marry him, be with him forever, but I'm so desperate to be a mum. I feel confused. Tell me what to do Lara." Lara looked down.

"I can't Heidi. It's up to you to do something. It's your life. Try and see this from Jordan's perspective, he's just been thrown a curve ball by his fiancé, and now she's angry, and he's still struggling to come to terms with what you're asking him." She nodded. The door opened, and Heidi heard her name being called.

"Heidi? Heidi-Ho!" She stood up.

"It's Jordan, what do I say?" She said to Lara, panicking. Lara got to her feet, and took Heidi by the shoulders.

"Tell him how you're feeling." Jordan appeared around the corner.

"Heidi!" He exclaimed.

"I can't do this. Lara, I'm sorry." She sprinted away. Jordan looked from Lara to Heidi's retreating figure. He started after her, pounding the pavement as he ran.

"Heidi! Heidi, stop!"

* * *

Heidi ran like she had never run before. The tears blurred her vision, and her chest was tight, but she didn't care. She made it back to her tiny house, and unlocked the door, making her way inside. She was glad she'd moved out a little while ago into her own place. She sat on her couch, and cried harder than she had all week. She heard a knock on her door.

"Heidi? Heidi, let me in," came Jordan's voice, muffled by the door.

"No. I can't Jordan, just go away." He spoke through the door again.

"Heidi, please. Talk to me." She curled up on her couch, and cried into her knee's. Jordan tried knocking again, and then slumped to the floor. He wasn't going to leave until she spoke to him. He leant against the wall, and got as comfortable as he could, the cold night air chilling him slightly. She'd have to come out sometime, and he'd be waiting for her. Heidi sat inside, trying to wrap her head around what she was going to do. She called her dad.

"Hey Heidi-Ho, what's up baby girl?" John Wilson asked.

"I just needed to talk," she said, sobbing into the phone.

"Is it Jordan? What happened Heidi? Did he hurt you?" He asked, his voice becoming concerned.

"No Dad. He didn't physically hurt me."

"Heidi-Ho, talk to me." She tried to control her sobbing.

"He… he said he doesn't want kids. I've always wanted them and I think Jordan would be the picture-perfect father. He doesn't think that he wants them. He would prefer to babysit someone else's, and hand them back when he's had enough. I don't think I can cope with that Dad. It's something I've wanted for a long time, and I thought Jordan was the perfect guy. Now…" She broke off, sobbing. Her heart ached as she realised how much she missed Jordan.

"Heidi, I was like that with your mother when we were first together."

"What? But you were great when I was little."

"Yeah, but when your mother first told me that she wanted kids, I couldn't handle the idea. I felt I wasn't ready to handle such a big responsibility, especially with the farm in such a dire way. Your mother and I fought for weeks about it, to the point where we almost divorced. But when I found out she was pregnant, and when I held you for the first time, I couldn't believe that I didn't want this. Our lives changed after that. You've got to give him time honey. You're not going to change his mind by being so angry about it, or so upset. He's not walking in your shoes, and has no idea what's going through your mind. Give him a break Heidi." She sniffled a little.

"Thanks Dad. How's Mum?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Not a lot better. Her dementia is getting worse, and we're thinking about selling the farm. I'm not as young as I used to be, and if we move closer to the city, your mother can get the care she needs, and we can see you and Jordan a little more."

"I'll be sad to see the house go, but I'd love to be able to see you guys more often."

"Are you feeling a little better now?" Asked John.

"Yeah. Thanks Dad. I'll catch-up with you later." She hung up, and paced her living room. It was late, and she needed to sleep. After all the tears and stress today, her head pounded. She rubbed her head, and sat on the lounge. She glanced over at the clock. It read 11:55. It was probably too late to call Lara, but she needed her. She dialled her number.

"Lara?"

* * *

Lara arrived at Heidi's house fifteen minutes later, and saw Jordan at her door.

"Jordan, what are you doing here?" He looked at her groggily.

"Waiting to see if Heidi will ever open the door for me." Lara stepped over him, and knocked on Heidi's door.

"Heidi? It's Lara." The door opened, and Heidi stood silhouetted in the doorway.

"Jordan?" She said as she opened the screen door.

"Let him in Heidi, and at least let him sleep on the couch," said Lara. He was shivering, the cold seeping into his bones. He coughed a little as he stood up.

"Come on. The office has a couch in it, you can sleep in there. Lara and I need to talk." He nodded, feeling almost ill. Heidi tossed some blankets in for him, and left him to sort himself out. She sat with Lara on the couch.

"What's so important that you've brought me out here after midnight?" Asked Lara. Heidi filled her in on the conversation that she'd had with her Dad.

"So what are you going to do babe?" Asked Lara.

"I want to talk to him, but I might leave it till the morning. I just… I'm trying to understand how he's feeling, but I just can't do it."

"We've talked about this. It's like being surprised. You go with your gut instinct. His was to panic, and not want kids. He's still trying to get his own head around things. Maybe you should think yourself lucky that you found this out now, and not after you were married." Heidi smiled.

"Thanks Lara. I'm sorry I called you. How's the baby doing?" Lara laughed, and hoisted herself up off the lounge.

"Still here. Still going strong. I'll catch you tomorrow, okay babe?" Heidi nodded, and showed Lara out the door, and locked up the house. She checked on Jordan, who had literally crashed on the couch, and was snoring gently. She smiled to herself, and went to her room, closing the door quietly. She crawled under the covers, and fell asleep. She dreamt that she and Jordan had a family, kids everywhere. Then the dream changed, becoming nightmarish. Jordan turned to her, old and withered, and pointed a gnarled, old finger at her.

"You did this to me," he said accusingly. She woke up screaming Jordan's name.

"Jordan!"

* * *

Jordan awoke with a start the next morning, disoriented and confused. He couldn't remember coming into Heidi's house last night. He could hear her in the kitchen. H walked out, groggy and half asleep.

"Morning babe," she chirped. She kissed him on the cheek. He kissed her back, a confused look on his face.

"You're not angry anymore?" He asked. She shook her head.

"No." She turned back to the stovetop, flipping the pancakes. He sat down on a chair.

"What made you change your mind?" She turned to him.

"I spoke to my dad last night. We talked for ages, and I found out about how he was the same when mum decided she wanted kids. He flipped out completely at her, saying about he wasn't ready. But all that changed when he held me for the first time, and he wouldn't have done things any different." He nodded.

"I've thought about it though Heidi. I might have a solution for you though." She transferred the pancakes to a plate, and sat them in front of Jordan.

"Oh?" She enquired. He put a forkful of pancake into his mouth, and swallowed.

"These are good babe." He put down his cutlery, and took her hands in his.

"The idea of having a family other than just you and me is something new to myself, but I can change that. I only ask two things." She looked at him, eyes hopeful.

"I'm fine with kids, as long as we wait til after our wedding, and after Lara's baby is born. I don't think Rescue would cope if the two of you were off on maternity leave at the same time." Heidi squealed, and jumped up from her chair. She came around, and kissed him on the lips.

"Thank you Jordan. I'm so sorry I've been angry with you. I love you babe." He kissed her back, and the air between them grew warm. He looked her in the eyes, seeing the love and care he felt for her reflected back in her own eyes.

"I love you Heidi."

* * *

An hour later, the lovestruck pair arrived at HQ, hand in hand. Chase saw them coming up the stairs, and whistled.

"You two made up!" He said, coming over and hugging Heidi.

"What was that all about anyway?" Asked Dean.

"Just a little misunderstanding Dean. It's all good now," said Jordan casually, kissing Heidi's cheek. She blushed and sat down. Lara came up the stairs, and saw the changed attitude between Jordan and Heidi. She sat at the desk next to Heidi's.

"So you two made up this morning," she stated. Heidi nodded, her eyes sparkling.

"What did he say?" She asked. Heidi leant closer to Lara, and whispered excitedly.

"Jordan's said that he'll be okay with kids. His only stipulations are that we wait until after we're married, and after you've had your baby. He doesn't want both of us off on maternity leave apparently." Lara laughed.

"Heidi, that's fantastic," she exclaimed, hugging her.

"Please, promise me no more late phone calls. I don't think I can cope with anymore late nights. Bub is keeping me awake enough as it is." Heidi giggled.

"Yeah Lara, things will be good now."

* * *

Lara went home with Dean that evening, to have dinner with him, then she would head home. She hadn't been cooking well for herself, and Dean had offered her a nice home cooked meal, an offer she couldn't refuse. He pulled up into the drive in her car, and turned off the ignition.

"This is nice," he commented. She nodded, and pushed herself out from the seat. He opened the front door, and ushered her inside. She sat on the couch, feeling awkward after last time she was here. She wrung her hands nervously as she sat in his living room. Dean stood in the kitchen making dinner. After ten minutes, she stood up.

"Dean, I really think I should go," she said. He dropped the pan he was holding.

"Don't go Lara. Please, stay." She nodded defeat, and sat down again. A crash brought them back to reality.

"Stay here," commanded Dean. Lara stayed put, fear making her shake. He grabbed his cricket bat and torch, and walked outside into the dark street.

"Hello?" He called. Silence. A yowling cat could be heard in the distance. He looked around for the shattered glass that had made the noise, but couldn't find it. Until he looked at Lara's car. A note sat on the driver's seat, the glass of the door smashed, covering the seat in glistening slivers of glass. He picked up the note, and took it inside to Lara.

"How many of these have you gotten?" He asked, barely inside the door. She gulped.

"About one a night, taped to my front door. I've learnt to ignore them Dean, almost none of them have been acted upon." He set the bat down inside the doorway, and sat next to her on the lounge.

"Lara, have you told Ian about these?" She shook her head.

"I told him about the first few, but after a while, he just seemed disinterested. I stopped telling him after a while, and he stopped asking. I don't see the point of concerning him with empty threats." He handed her the letter.

"You won't be going home in your car tonight, it needs a new window." She took the note with shaky hands, and opened it.

_I broke your window like he'll break your heart; into a thousand, insignificant pieces. Don't do it Lara, it could cost you more than just your own life._

She dropped the note on the floor. Dean hugged her close as she dissolved into tears.

"I'm scared Dean." He rubbed her back gently, soothing her.

"I know."


	8. 4-8: Risk

_4-8: Risk_

* * *

Lara looked in her wardrobe, and sighed. She felt fat and ugly now, with this bulge growing out of her front. She was only six months along, but to her, she felt like she could have been pregnant for years. All her maternity clothes felt drab and untidy, and she always felt uncomfortable walking down the street, feeling like people were watching her. She pulled out her modified rescue uniform, and pulled it on, just managing to get the button done up around her ever-expanding waist. She'd have to ask Michelle to get a few more pairs fitted again, and she hated doing that. She pulled her shirt over her head, and left the apartment in a crabby mood.

* * *

"Hey Lara, how you doing?" Asked Chase as she made her way up the stairs.

"Fine Chase," she snapped. She was tired of everyone fussing over her now, and she wanted everyone to leave her alone. She sat at her desk and bashed her keyboard, trying to sign into her computer. Dean came up behind her, and started to rub her back. She wriggled forward.

"Dean, stop it," she said. He backed away, and looked at Chase. He shrugged his shoulders. Dean came over and whispered to him.

"What's up with Lara today?"

"No idea, she was like it when she came in, all moody and angry." Dean nodded, and backed away. Michelle came in, phone in hand.

"We've just had a report of a night bus accident. It's rolled over taking a corner, and is halfway down a hill, and we've got trapped and injured passengers. They're all a little intoxicated, so I want you to work in teams where possible, just for safety. Dean and Chase, you're team one. Heidi and Jordan, Team Two and Lachie and Kate are Team Three."

"Hang on a minute, what about me?" Asked Lara angrily. Michelle glanced at Dean, shock on her face, and then looked back at Lara.

"I don't think that's wise, I mean, you're at six months. I really think you should start taking a step back." Lara cut in over Michelle, frustration in her voice.

"Michelle, you can't stop me." Dean knew with Lara's current mood that Michelle would never get through to Lara. He sighed.

"Let her go Michelle. We'll look out for her. She can co-ordinate the teams."

"No. I'm in this to rescue people, not organise you lot." She grabbed her jacket and slipped past Dean and Chase, who just looked at her.

"Dean, what's going on?"

"I have no idea Michelle. When I know, I'll be sure to let you know too." She nodded.

"Look out for her out there Dean."

* * *

At the rescue site they found twenty or so very drunk people, half of whom were trapped on the crumpled bus. The other half were staggering around on the road, or sitting on the side drinking more booze.

"What gets into people these days?" Asked Chase as he pulled out a medi-kit, tossing Dean his. Lara shouldered past the two boys and took her own medi pack out of the truck, and moved away.

"Ok, Heidi, Jordan. I want assessments of people on the bus. Grommet, Lachie, take the people on the side. Chase and I will take the drunkards here on the road, and try and move them over til the police get here." They nodded. Dean turned to tell Lara to go with Heidi and Jordan, but she was gone. He shrugged his shoulders, and continued work with Chase.

"Sir, you need to come and sit down over here." Chase was trying to move someone to the side. The intoxicated man's response to Chase was to punch him the face. Dean came running straight away.

"Oi, oi!" He pulled the man off Chase, and sat him on the side. Several patrol cars pulled up, and police officers poured out, covering the area. The disorderly people soon found themselves handcuffed and sitting on the side of the road, or being shoved into squad cars, and being carted away. The ones that were left were being treated by a member of the team.

"Chase, you alright?" asked Dean. Chase held a gauze pad to his face, staining it with blood.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It's not broken, just bloody." Dean left him to his own devices, and went back to attending people. His head shot up when he realised he didn't know where Lara was.

"Heidi? Have you seen Lara?" He called. Heidi stuck her head out one of the shattered windows.

"Haven't seen her since we got here. Have you tried her on the radio?" He pulled his radio off his shoulder.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Two. Lara, where are you?" Static filled the air. He tried again, and still got no response. He swore at himself, angry that he let her come.

"Jordan, Heidi," he yelled. Heidi pulled herself out of the bus, and jumped down.

"What's up Dean?"

"I need you and Jordan to go find Lara. She's not answering her radio." Jordan climbed out of the bus, and dropped the medi-kits on the ground.

"What about our patients in here?" He asked, lowering himself down the side of the vehicle.

"Chase and I will take them. You two go find Lara, and stay in contact." Heidi nodded, and grabbed her pack, Jordan following close behind. The traipsed through bushes, down the steep incline.

"Lara!" Called Heidi. No reply.

"Do you think she's alright?" Asked Jordan, pushing aside an intrusive branch.

"I don't know. She was pretty angry this morning, I have no idea why. Who knows what she's doing," said Heidi. She stepped forward, and then Jordan pulled her back. He pointed toward two people struggling with each other at the bottom of the slope.

"Who's that down there?" Heidi shook off his arm, and sprinted down the hill.

"Lara!" Lara fought with the man as he tried to feel her up in his intoxicated state.

"Come here baby," he slurred happily, trying to cop a feel. She shoved him, and he started to get angry with her. He slapped her across the face, getting agitated. He pulled her close, and unzipped his pants.

"Come on, just a quick one." She pushed against him, trying to get free. He hit her harder.

"Stop it," he hissed. He held her arms behind her back, twisting them.

"Play nice," he whispered. He lifted her top up, and caressed her belly. She struggled harder. She heard her name being called, and the drunk man put a hand over her mouth.

"Lara is it? Such a pretty name for such a sexy girl." She tried to bite him, and he hit her again.

"Lara!" She was Jordan and Heidi coming down the hill. Jordan tackled the guy holding her, knocking both him and Lara to the ground. Heidi pulled Lara back up, and checked her over.

"I'm fine. I could deal with it myself!" Heidi stepped back, and grabbed her radio.

"Rescue Portable Five to Rescue Portable One, Dean, we've got her."

"Is she okay Heidi?"

"She's fine Dean. Some drunken guy was trying to have his way with her. We'll bring them both back up to you."

"Alright, thanks Heidi." She turned to Lara.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Heidi asked. Lara nodded her head.

"I'm fine! Stop asking questions." She started making her way up the slope. Jordan pushed the man in front of him, driving him up the slope. When they reached the top, Lachie and Kate were waiting for them. Kate helped Heidi up, whilst Lachie hoisted Lara up. He looked at the red hand mark on her face. She pushed past him.

"I'm fine Lachie. Don't ask." He raised his hands in defeat, and moved to help Jordan with the drunken man. Kate walked with Heidi.

"What's going on with Lara?" She asked. Heidi shrugged her shoulders.

"If I knew Kate, I'd let you know."

* * *

Back at HQ, Lara was hauled into Michelle's office. She eased herself into a chair. Dean stood behind Michelle, arms crossed.

"What were you thinking today Lara?" Asked Michelle quietly. Lara stayed silent, toying with a loose thread on the chair. Dean leant on the table.

"Look at me Lara. You didn't wait for your orders out there; you took matters into your own hands. You can't do that out there. You can endanger the team, as well as your own life…" Dean was cut off by Lara's heated voice.

"My life is already in danger because of some stupid blackmailer. I can't just sit around here and do nothing."

"Lara, it's not just your life that you're risking anymore. Your baby has a say in this too," said Michelle.

"I didn't ask for this baby Michelle. I don't know who the baby's father is, and I'm struggling to do this on my own!" Shouted Lara. She went to storm out the door, and Dean moved into her path, stopping her.

"Lara, what's going on?" He asked, taking her shoulders.

"Just leave it Dean." He raised his hands in frustration.

"Lara, you're being ridiculous. You need to slow down now, start to take it easy. You can't keep going out there and doing dangerous rescue's. What happens if next time we don't get to you? What sort of trouble could you be in then?" She looked him in the eyes.

"No more trouble than I am in now." She pushed past him, and exited the office. Dean sat in the recently vacated chair, and put his head in his hands.

"What do I do Michelle?"

"I don't honestly know Dean. Yes, she's normally headstrong and direct, but this is different. Something else is going on." He nodded, and leant back.

"I know something's happening for her, but she won't let me in anymore. This stalker has got her shaken up, and now she's closed herself away from everyone." Michelle nodded.

"I know, we can't let her do something stupid again. Watch her Dean."

* * *

Heidi and Jordan sat at a café, eating lunch together and planning the wedding.

"I want a church wedding, flowers, music, everything." Jordan nodded, swallowing his mouthful of food.

"That sounds great Heidi. I'm fine with whatever you want." She clapped her hands with glee.

"Have you decided who you want as your best man?"

"Probably go for Chase. Dean and Lachie can be the other groomsmen. What about you? Picked your bridesmaids yet?" He teased. She smiled, and shoved him playfully across the table.

"You know I have. Oh, I'm planning to go dress shopping soon as well, and I'll look at invitations."  
"What do you want me to do?"

"Just talk to your best man and your groomsmen, and give me a list of who you want invited. I can handle the rest if you want." Jordan visibly relaxed.

"I can do that for you babe, easy." She smiled at him, and took another sip of her drink.

"So what are we going to get for Lara? The girls are organising the party, and we need to work out what we're going to get her," Heidi said, changing the topic.

"What do babies need?" Asked Jordan. He didn't have a lot of family, and whilst he did have nieces and nephews, he wasn't exactly involved in their life. Heidi laughed a little, almost choking on her own sandwich.

"Jordan, you're funny. Well, we can get her clothing for the baby. Between Michelle, Kate and myself, we're doing up a nursery for her…" She trailed off. Jordan looked up at her.

"What's up?"

"Well, originally, she was moving in with Dean, and we were doing up one of his extra rooms for the baby, but now? I don't know what she's doing." Jordan took another bite of his sandwich, and spoke around his mouthful.

"Let her work out what she's doing herself at the moment babe. She's got a lot going on for her." Heidi leant across the table and kissed Jordan.

"I love you."

* * *

 

Chase sat with Jess, her stylish new wheelchair in place. She was finally signing out of rehab today, with the provision that she kept working on her exercises. She was in a really good mood today. The nurse passed her the forms, and Jess signed her name with fanfare. She smiled at Chase, and gripped his hand in hers.

"Oh Chase, I'm so excited to finally get out of here," she said as Chase wheeled her out of the rehabilitation centre. He leant forward and kissed her on the cheek. He transferred her into the patrol, and folded her wheelchair up, putting it in the back. He climbed in the driver's seat, and leant over and kissed her again.

"I've missed your company." She laughed.

"I think you've missed my cooking just a little more," she said, humour in her voice. They drove in silence for a little while, then Chase pulled over outside an unfamiliar house. Jess looked at him.

"Where are we?" She asked. He got out, and brought her wheelchair around. She transferred herself into it, and then Chase pushed her up the ramp.

"This is my present to you." She looked around, confused.

"What?"

"This house. It's been modified for wheelchair access, and is perfect for you." He stopped her chair and put the brakes on, then crouched down in front of her.

"I want to be with you Jess. Forever. I bought this house for us." She looked down at her hands, and started to cry. Chase looked concerned.

"Hey. Why are you crying?" Asked Chase, wiping away a tear with his thumb.

"Chase, you've made me so happy." She leant forward and kissed him on the lips. Chase kissed her back, and then stood up. He wheeled her inside, showing her everything. The kitchen had everything lowered to an accessible height. He knew how important being able to cook was for Jess, and had made every effort to get her dream kitchen.

"Chase, it's beautiful."

"You can still decorate it the way you want; I was never really good at that. I'm going over to your place with your sister Isabelle tomorrow to move your stuff out."

"Chase, how on earth did you manage to do all this?" Asked Jess incredulously.

"Lachie, Heidi and Jordan helped me work out everything we needed, and I paid for it from there. Lachie helped me move my stuff in, and Heidi and Jordan helped him."

"How can you afford all this?"

"I lived with Dad for a few years, and I've only stayed with Lachie for a few months, so I had a fair amount saved up. Do you like it?" Asked Chase, concerned she would disapprove. She turned her chair around to face him.

"Like it? I love it!"

* * *

Lara sat at her desk in at HQ, staring blankly at the screen. Dean pulled a chair over, and sat next to her.

"Lara, please. Talk to me," he said. She glared at him, and turned her chair around to face him.

"I'm not ready to give up rescue Dean. I came back to rescue so I could help people, and now I have to stop? I can't do that Dean. I just can't." He looked at her, and took her hands in his.

"Lara, I know this is going to be hard. It won't be forever though, you know that. Look at Michelle, she's got James, and she's still working here. It'll only be for a few months, and after the baby's born, you can get back into things. It's only a little while." Lara made a sound of frustration.

"I didn't want my life to be changed this much Dean. This baby is changing everything, and I'm not sure I'm ready for it." Dean looked down.

"Think about this baby Lara. The baby didn't ask for things to go the way they did. Don't risk the baby's life because you're not ready for this." She snatched her hands away from Dean.

"Just forget it Dean." She stormed away from the desks, and went down stairs. Dean slapped the table, and turned back to his paperwork. Vince sat at his desk.

"What the hell was that about?" He asked. Dean shrugged his shoulders.

"No idea Vince."

"Well, while you're trying to get your head around what's going on, we've got a cliff rescue. You and Lara head out to it, I'll send Grommet and Lachie out to you." Dean nodded, and grabbed his jacket. He jogged down the stairs, and met Lara at the patrol.

"Get in," he said gruffly. She complied, no questions asked. Dean sped out of the garage, and headed towards the mountains.

"Where are we going?" She asked quietly.

"Cliff rescue. Vince will radio more details when we get there." He sped along the twisting road, taking turns at a breakneck speed. Lara gripped the sides of the car. He skidded to a halt near a fence.

"They're here. Come on, hurry up!" He propelled himself out of the patrol, and pulled ropes and harnesses out of the back.

"Hello? Somebody! I can't hold on much longer." Dean secured the harness around himself, and was about to go over the edge, when Lara beat him. She had the harness secured awkwardly around her bulge, and was halfway down the cliff. He dropped down.

"Lara! What are you doing?"

"Proving to you that I can still do rescue," she yelled back. She slipped down the cliff-face in minutes. Dean hooked up another rope and harness, and passed it down to her. She wrapped it around their patient, and signalled for Dean to haul him up. The man was pulled up in seconds, and Lara started her ascent. She was moving slowly, making progress, until her rope jammed. She tried to move up, but couldn't do it. She began to panic, and started hyperventilating. Up the top, Dean handed their patient over to the ambos, and then came back, packing up the rope.

"Dean?" Called Lara breathily.

"What?"

"I can't get up; the ropes jammed." The pressure on her back from the harness was starting to hurt, and her arms were tired. Her lungs worked harder at sucking in oxygen. The rope slipped a little, and she fell a few feet.

"Dean!" She screamed. He looked over the edge.

"Lara! Hang on, I'm coming!" She slipped further, and yelled again.

"Dean, hurry up!"

"Lara!" Dean yelled. He looked around wildly for a point to secure himself on. He heard tires, and glanced up briefly. He saw Kate and Lachie get out of the patrol, and motioned for them to hurry up. They sprinted towards him.

"Deano, what's going on? Where's Lara?" Asked Lachie. Dean pointed over the edge.

"She went down there." Kate gasped.

"She fell over?" Dean shook his head.

"No, she went over with a harness." He passed Lachie the rope, and he secured it to a nearby tree.

"Wait up here, she might need help when I get her up." The two nodded. Kate ran over to their patrol and pulled out a medi-kit, just in case. Dean abseiled down the side of the cliff, Lachie watching carefully.

"Is she alright?" He called down.

"I'm not sure, she's unconscious. Can you get Grommet to grab the oxygen out of the truck?" Dean yelled back. Lachie waved his arm, and Kate disappeared back to the truck. Dean checked her harness, and released the section that was giving her trouble.

"Okay Lachie, take her up," Dean shouted up. Lachie and Kate grabbed Lara's rope, and started to haul her up, taking it carefully. Her body hung limp in her harness. Dean climbed alongside, checking the harness wasn't putting any pressure on the baby. They got her to the top, and Lachie and Kate dragged her to the side. Kate slipped an oxygen mask over her head, and pulled out the spare blood glucose machine. After pricking Lara's finger and putting the blood on the test strip, Kate shoved the reading strip into the machine. A few tense moments, the machine beeped. Kate looked at it, and threw it aside, scrambling through the kit.

"Come on, where is it?" She muttered. Dean picked up the machine, and read the number. It was sitting at two point one, too low.

"Has she eaten today?" Asked Lachie, reading the machine over Dean's shoulder.

"I don't know. She's been stressed out today, on edge." Kate injected the glucagon, and waited. Lachie took down the rest of her vitals on a notepad, and attached a fetal monitor to her belly.

"The rest of her vitals are looking good, and the baby's heartbeat is strong," noted Lachie quietly. Kate kept one eye on Lara, and one on her watch. After ten minutes, her eyelids started fluttering, and she moaned. Dean crept forward and stroked her hair.

"It's alright Lara; you're okay." She nodded, and tried to sit up.

"Take it slow Lara," said Lachie, a supporting hand behind her back. She ripped off the oxygen mask.

"I'll be fin…"

"No, this time you weren't Lara. I'm taking you to hospital to be checked over." She shook her head.

"Dean, don't." He shook his head, and went back to the patrol. He climbed in and drove away, leaving Kate and Lachie to deal with Lara.

"Come on, we'll take you back to HQ."

* * *

Michelle sat in her office, waiting for Lara to come in. She flipped over some paperwork as her door opened.

"Come on in Lara. Sit down." Lara took a seat, feeling like a schoolchild in trouble with the principal. She fiddled with her hands.

"Lara, you need to talk to me. What's going on? Dean said you practically jumped over a cliff, with no thought towards your safety, or your baby's." Lara felt tears streaming down her face, and a sob escaped her lips. Michelle came around the desk and sat on the chair next to Lara's. She held Lara close as the tears poured out, and waited for her to regain control. After ten minutes or so, Lara pulled away, gratefully accepting a tissue from Michelle.

"Come on Lara, talk to me," prodded Michelle.

"I'm just not ready to give up Rescue. I was away for almost a year from Rescue, and the whole time I wanted to be back. I finally was able to return, and some man gets me knocked up. I don't want to stop Michelle. I'm frustrated with what's going on, how it's harder to move because of the baby, harder to breathe. Harder to find clothes that fit." Michelle smiled understandingly.

"I know Lara, but there are two of you to think about now. Just because you want to keep rescuing doesn't mean you have to stop entirely, just for a little while. We just need you to start thinking about slowing down a little, for both your health, and our sanity. We don't want you to leave, but we also don't want you to get hurt." Lara smiled a little.

"I know Michelle, but…" She stopped as the baby gave her a good swift kick. Michelle looked at her, concerned at her silence.

"Are you okay?" Lara grabbed her hand, and pressed it to her abdomen. Michelle grinned as she felt the baby make contact with her hand.

"I know it's not ideal circumstances Lara, but this baby is sticking with you now. You're starting to bond with your baby, and you're in this until the end of the nine months, possibly a little more while you recover. You need to step back from rescue for a little while. You don't need to leave yet, you can stay and help me if you'd like." Lara smiled.

"Thanks Michelle. I just don't know what I'm going to do now. I can't stay at Dean's with some whack job out to get me and you, and I don't think my apartment is right to raise a baby in."

"We've got idea's Lara. Kate, Heidi and myself are going to help you, and we'll sort things out for you. We're organising birthing classes next, we just want to know who you want as your birthing partner." Lara hugged Michelle again, glad to have a motherly replacement in her life. She wiped her face, and smiled at Michelle.

"Thank you Michelle. You have no idea what that means to me."

* * *

Chase sat with Jess on the couch, stroking her hair. She'd had a hard day at therapy, and was exhausted. Chase had cooked dinner for both of them, and no she was resting comfortably on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.  
  
"Chase, we should go out to dinner one night. I want to meet some of your work friends."  
  
"Babe, you've met some of them already." She laughed.  
"I know, but I mean under different circumstances." She looked up at him, and he kissed her.  
  
"Sure. Have you got somewhere you want to go?"  
  
"The little Italian restaurant down the road is fine. They've got wheelchair access, so I can get in." She laid back down on his chest, and he went back to running his fingers through her hair.  
  
"I'll organise it for you babe."

* * *

 

Two nights later, Chase had the whole team out for dinner to meet Jess. They sat outside the restaurant, laughing and joking with each other. After several hours of eating more than enough, people started leaving. Lara left first, excusing herself. Lachie split soon after. Vince and Kate left, as they were due to pick up Sam for a weekend away. Dean left without saying a word, and then it was just the four of them. Jordan and Heidi stayed for ages.  
  
"So Heidi, when's the big day for you two?" Asked Jess as she sipped her wine. They looked at each other, and glanced back at Jess, sheepish appearances.  
  
"We haven't really picked a date yet," said Heidi quietly. Jess choked on her drink, and Chase had to thump her on the back.  
  
"What? If I were you guys, I would have had my date picked out months ago, as soon as he asked. Are you guys planning it?" Heidi gave a non-committal answer.  
  
"Chase, take me home," begged Jess. They laughed, and Heidi and Jordan stood up.  
  
"We've got work tomorrow, so we should probably head off ourselves. It was lovely to meet you Jess," said Heidi, coming around to hug her. Jordan shook Chase's hand.  
  
"You got a keeper there Chasie-boy," said Jordan. The four laughed, then Jordan and Heidi linked arms, and walked away.  
  
Heidi and Jordan walked into the house, talking about Jess.  
  
"I'm glad Chase has found someone. She's really good for him."  
  
"Yeah, she's got a wicked sense of humour too," said Jordan laughing. He leant forward, and kissed Heidi. She smiled into it, enjoying the taste of his lips. He looked her in the eyes.  
  
"I love you babe. I couldn't imagine life without you anymore, it's like you've always been here." She blushed, her face matching her flaming hair. She ran her fingers through his hair, enjoying the feeling.  
  
"Promise me you'll never leave me Jordan," said Heidi breathlessly.  
  
"I promise you Heidi-Ho. I will not leave you until the day I die." She kissed him, and he deepened it. She pulled away, with a cheeky look on her face, and pulled him to the bedroom.

* * *

 

Chase wheeled Jess to the car, and lifted her up, putting her into the passenger seat. He drove her home. She sat in the passenger seat, head leaning against the window. When they got home, Chase pulled out her wheelchair, and transferred her into it, pushing her up the ramp and inside the front door. He went to put her into bed, and she flipped on the brakes.  
  
"I think I'll have a bath first." He nodded, and let her go.  
  
"I'll see you when you're done." He changed into his boxers, and lay on the bed, dozing. Jess wheeled herself into the bathroom, and tried to transfer herself into the bath. Her hand slipped, and she hit her face on the edge of the tub, splitting her lip open, making her nose bleed, and giving her head a good bruise. She lay on the floor, unable to get herself up, twisted awkwardly, legs trapped by her chair.  
  
"Chase?" She called. He rolled over on the bed, getting comfortable, almost asleep. Jess started to cry.  
  
"Chase, please help me," she sobbed. He sat bolt upright in bed, Jess's pleas getting through his groggy brain. He stumbled from the bed, and staggered into the adjoining bathroom, squinting at the bright light. He woke up more when he realised that Jess was in trouble. He dropped down to his knees, and untangled her legs. He helped prop her up against the bathtub, and grabbed the first-aid kit out of the cabinet. He cleaned up the blood on her lips and nose, and checked the bruise on her head.  
  
"You might have a mild concussion, and you'll have a sore lip tomorrow, but I think you're ok." He sat next to her, and held her as she cried.  
  
"I hate feeling so helpless Chase. My legs don't work, and I can't do things by myself. What happens if I fall again and I can't get up? What happens then?" He held her, soothing her. He lifted her up, supporting her, and laid her on the bed. He pulled out her pyjama's for her and tossed them to her.  
  
"I'll just clean up the bathroom, and then I'll be in." She nodded. Chase cleaned up the blood on the bath, and sat down next to it, running his hands through his hair. Jess had made a good point. What if next time he wasn't there to get to her if something happened?  
  
He stood up, and walked into the bedroom. Jess had her back to him. He stood in the doorway for a minute, watching her. After a few moments, he realised she was shaking. Ha sat down next to her, and she rolled over. Her face was tearstained, and he lay down next to her.  
  
"Shh, don't cry," he said quietly. She rolled onto his chest, wiping her eyes.  
  
"It'll be alright."

* * *

 

The next morning Jordan, Heidi, Dean, Lachie and Lara sat at their desks in the office, waiting for Michelle to come out of her office. She'd asked them to wait, as she had a small announcement. After twenty minutes, she came out, holding a slip of paper.

"Right team, we've re-organised the team pairings for the next few months. Lara, you're now in the base team with me. Dean, you're paired with Chase, Jordan with Heidi and Lachie and Kate together. Everybody ok with that?" Michelle looked up at the team.

"Yeah Michelle, that's fine," said Dean. The turned back to their paperwork and computers. Lara got up, and followed Michelle into her office.

"Michelle, can I talk to you for a few minutes?"

"Sure Lara, make yourself comfortable." Michelle tapped a few more keys on her keyboard, and then faced Lara.

"What's up?" She asked. Lara shifted uncomfortably on the chair.

"I need to ask you a favour. Two, actually."

"Go for it Lara. Ask away," said Michelle, leaning back in her chair.

"Are you free today? It's okay if you're not."

"I'm free, what are we doing?"

"I need to have an ultrasound today. I would have asked Dean to do it, but I'm not easy with him doing that. Can you come with me?" Michelle smiled.

"I'd love to Lara. What time's your appointment?"

"Two thirty. That's not all I need to ask."

"Oh?" Said Michelle. Lara wrung her hands nervously.

"I want you to be my birth partner." Michelle gasped.

"Are you sure Lara? It's a big decision to make." Lara nodded.

"I trust you Michelle. You've done this before, and you're more like a mum to me than anyone else."

"What about Heidi? You two are pretty close." Lara nodded.

"I want you Michelle." She smiled.

"I'd be honoured to be there Lara." She looked at her watch.

"We've got a few hours before we have to leave; you should go and finish some of the paperwork for me." Lara eased herself out of the chair, and went to walk out of the office. She turned and beamed at Michelle.

"Thank you."

* * *

Chase skipped work to make sure that Jess was okay. He woke up with her still on his chest, fast asleep. The bruise on her head blossomed beautifully, and her lip was swollen. Chase grimaced as he examined her forehead. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Morning," she said sleepily. Her hand came up to her head and her face twisted in pain as she touched the bruise gingerly. Chase kissed the top of her head.

"How bad is it?" She asked.

"It's big, but it should go away after a while. You look beautiful anyway." She tried to sit up, and Chase supported her.

"Can you get my chair? I want to cook some breakfast." Chase smiled at her, and climbed out of bed. He dragged the wheelchair over, and set it next to the bed. Jess transferred herself into the chair, and wheeled forward. She caught sight of the clock.

"Chase, you're late for work! You need to go." He looked at her.

"It'll be ok. I just wanted to make sure you were alright this morning. Michelle will understand." She beckoned him toward her, and he bent down. She leant forward and kissed him. After a few moments, she pulled back, and her face lit up.

"What did I do to deserve you?"

* * *

Michelle and Lara sat in the imaging department of the hospital, Lara flipping nervously through magazines. Michelle was cool as a cucumber, enjoying the hospital chatter in the background. Lara's name was called, and she almost jumped a mile. Michelle laughed, and took her by the arm.

"It's only an ultrasound Lara. Calm down," joked Michelle. Lara smiled anxiously.

"I know Michelle, but what if something's wrong with the baby?" Michelle patted her on the arm as they followed the nurse down the corridor.

"Stay positive Lara. Wait until you've seen the baby first." The nurse helped settle Lara on the bed, and instructed her to lift her shirt up. The nurse left the room, and Jenny, the ultrasound technician entered.

"Lara! It's good to see you again. Let's check on how the baby's going." Jenny sat next to the bed, and squirted the cold gel on Lara's stomach. She moved the wand around, and then turned the screen towards Lara and Michelle.

"There's your healthy baby. Everything is going well." Jenny jotted down a few notes on Lara's file.

"Do you want a picture?" Lara nodded, tears of joy at seeing her baby. Jenny printed out a copy, and passed it to Michelle for safe-keeping. She switched off the machine.

"Only a few more months to go now Lara, then you'll be meeting your baby." Michelle stopped her.

"Wait, aren't you going to tell us the gender of the baby?" Asked Michelle. She was dying to know. Jenny looked at Lara.

"It was my understanding that Lara didn't want to know." Lara nodded confirmation.

"I don't want to know Michelle, I want it to be a surprise," said Lara, wiping the sticky gel off.

"Oh. That's alright. We can all be surprised when he or she finally arrives." Jenny left the room, and Michelle hugged Lara.

"Thank you for letting me be a part of this. I'd forgotten what this was like." Lara smiled at Michelle.

"Thanks for coming."

* * *

 

When they got back at the stationhouse, Lara pulled out the photo, and showed it around to the team. Heidi melted when she saw the picture.

"Lara, the baby looks perfect." Jordan and Lachie passed it on pretty quickly, not as interested in looking as the others. Dean held onto the image for longer, staring at the baby's form. A tear slid down his cheek, and he hurriedly wiped it away. Lara looked at him.

"You okay Dean?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said gruffly. He passed back the picture, and turned back to the computer. Lara slid her chair over to Dean, and put a hand on his back.

"I want you to be a part of my life, and this baby's life, I really do. But until the psychotic person who's writing those letters is found and put away, I can't do that." She kissed his cheek. He turned to look at her.

"I understand."

* * *

_Outside, a figure watched through the window. They crumpled the can they were holding and tossed it to the ground in anger. Another letter left on the hood of a car…_


	9. 4-9: Daredevil

_4-9: Daredevil_

* * *

Kate felt her board cut through the waves, and felt like she was home again. The surf roaring as she took the wave, watching the current and power. Vince sat on the beach with Sam, talking to him gently. After his accident a few months back, he was allowed a weekend out every now and again, a chance to get out of the care facility. He'd suffered moderate brain damage from the drowning, and was getting better, but wouldn't progress much further than where he was at now. Kate waved at them, and toppled off her board as she lost her concentration. She surfaced, and laughed at herself. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had this much fun. She hoisted herself back up on her board, and noticed the perfect break just a little ways from where she was. She paddled over to the area, and waited for the next wave. As she felt the swell rise up beneath her, she paddled forward, and stood up. She squealed with the thrill of the perfect wave, and then hit the rocks in front of her. She was smashed up against them, scraping her arms and legs. She scrambled to the surface, and dragged herself along the rocks, lugging her board along with her. She pulled herself up, and examined her injuries. The gashes were long, and they bled well. She sighed, and picked up her board, walking back along the beach to her dad and brother.

"Kate, where were you?" He asked, packing up the gear. Sam clapped excitedly as she came closer.

"I just caught a wave, Dad." He looked up, and dropped the blanket he was folding.

"Sammy, stay there." He instructed. He examined her wounds.

"Kate, what happened?"

"Nothing Dad, just leave it. I'm fine," she said, slipping her board into its cover. He nodded, and finished packing up their gear.

"Come on Sammy, let's take you back." Sam stumbled after Vince. His co-ordination wasn't great after the accident. Kate followed them, hauling her board after her, wincing as it bumped her grazes.

After dropping Sam off, Vince took them back to Rescue HQ. Michelle had called earlier, asking if he could bring Kate in. She walked inside, and met Michelle in her office.

"What's up Michelle?" Asked Kate. Michelle looked up at her.

"What happened to you?" Michelle asked.

"Just a scrape. What's the problem?" Kate asked again.

"Oh. I wanted to let you know that we have re-arranged the teams again. Lara's no longer going out on operations, and we shuffled the teams around again." Kate nodded.

"So are Chase and I are a team again?" Michelle shook her head.

"I've paired you with Lachie. He's got some valuable experience behind him, and I know that you will benefit from it." Kate nodded, and sat in the chair.

"So how is Lara going?"

"Well. She had an ultrasound a few days ago, and the baby is looking good. Healthy."

"Has she worked out where we are doing the nursery?" Michelle shrugged her shoulders.

"Probably at her apartment. She won't be doing anything with Dean until the creep writing these letters is found." Kate bobbed her head.

"So what colours are we going to paint this nursery?"

* * *

After an hour, Kate exited Michelle's office. She went downstairs to her locker, and pulled out her spare rescue uniform. She jumped under the hot shower spray, feeling the salt wash out of her hair. She flinched as she saw all the blood flowing down the drain. Kate shook herself out of it, and stepped out, towelling herself off. Heidi walked in.

"Geez, what did you do Grommet? You look like you took on a gravel road." Kate smiled at her.

"Just some surfing gone a little wrong. I'm fine."

"Well, you better hurry up and get dressed. We got a callout, and we're leaving in two minutes." Kate thanked her, and hurriedly pulled on her uniform. She dashed outside, and Lachie grabbed her arm, pushing her into the patrol. The teams sped out of headquarters, and raced down the road. Kate quickly buckled herself in.

"What's the callout out for?" She asked.

"Motorcycle rider at an event, tried to take on a jump, missed, and crashed into the audience stands. We've got to get him out, and take care of the audience members who were injured by it." Kate nodded.

"Who's the rider?"

"Mark Stefiano." Kate gasped.

"He's like, the daredevil of riding from Italy! He's incredible," Kate gushed. Lachie took a corner at a breathtaking speed.

"Well then, we better save his life so he can jump another day."

* * *

At the scene, it was absolute chaos. People running everywhere, groans coming from the collapsed stand, and Mark Stefiano's manager shouting angrily into his mobile in Italian. Dean stepped out.

"It's like a circus around here," commented Chase.

"Alright, Heidi, Jordan, take the stands with Lachie and Grommet. Chase and I will help for a while until we can get to Mark." The teams split up, taking audience members as they could. Broken bones, cuts and grazes, bruises, and mild concussions were amongst the many injuries they treated. After half an hour, the teams had finally cleared away patients, and moved some of the collapsed stand. Lachie and Kate paused with bated breath. A groan sounded from the stands, and they rushed forward, carefully pulling beams and broken chairs away, throwing the rubbish behind them. The got down to where Mark was lying, trapped under his bike, chest pinned by a beam. Dean decided to give Kate and Lachie a chance, to see if their pairing would work.

"Grommet, Lachie, get in there with oxygen and the medi-kits. I want your assessment as soon as possible." Kate and Lachie crept under the unstable stands, Lachie dragging a medi-kit after him. Kate crouched down next to him, mindful of her head.

"How is he?" Asked Lachie, unable to get closer to him.

"Mild concussion, possibly a broken leg. Put a collar on just in case, and we can take him out on a spine board." Lachie nodded, and passed her the oxygen. She slipped the mask over his head, and then took the cervical collar off Lachie.

"Mr Stefiano?" Called Kate. He moved slightly, shifting the structure.

"Hang on, don't move, everything will fall on you." He stopped, and sucked in the oxygen gratefully. Lachie shifted the beam off Mark's chest, shoving it aside. Together, they slipped him onto the spine board, and started to lift him off. Dean met them outside the structure.

"No! Wait, please. My bike." He tried to get off, but Dean pushed him down.

"We'll get it. You need to go to hospital." Kate let go of her end of the spine board, and ran back.

"Grommet! Kate!" Yelled Lachie. Chase grabbed the other end of the spine board.

"Heidi, Jordan, get her out. She'll destabilise it and end up trapped." Heidi and Jordan sprinted after Kate.

"Kate, don't do it! Leave it, we can get it out once all the debris has been removed!" Called Heidi. Kate didn't listen, and tried to yank the motorcycle out. The blood was pounding in her ears, and she could feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins. She had her hands wrapped around the handlebars, when she felt a pair of arms grab her and pull. The stand collapsed around them, and she found herself trapped with Jordan, the bike digging uncomfortably into her stomach.

"Jordan? Grommet, are you okay?" Called Heidi.

"I'm alright. Jordan got clocked on the head though, and he's unconscious."

"Can you get out?" Asked Chase, stepping forward to assess the crumbled stands. Kate struggled for a moment, and stopped, defeated.

"No. Jordan's on my back, and I can't move my arms." Dean, Lachie and Chase started pulling the debris away carefully. Heidi stood and waited, tense and nervous. When they finally got them out, they had to lift Jordan into an ambulance, as he was still unconscious. Heidi went with him.

"What were you thinking Kate?" Roared Dean. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know, I just wanted to get the bike out. It seemed to mean a lot to him."

"You don't do something like that Kate. You wait for the rest of us to work out how best to get it out without getting yourself injured. Don't do it again, or I'm reporting this to your father." Kate shrugged her shoulders again, and sat in the patrol. She was coming down from her adrenaline rush now, and wasn't feeling as well, but she couldn't believe the rush that whole moment had given her. She couldn't think. She finally was able to do something exciting, dangerous, other than surfing. Sure, with surfing there was the possibility of one of the fins slicing you open, or a concussion on a sandbank, but with Rescue there were so many more possibilities. She sat back in the patrol, and sighed. Lachie climbed in beside her, having secured the area and handing it over to the police. He switched on the engine, and they pulled out of the main arena.

"So I'm supposed to talk to you now, tell you how you messed up, and basically grill you. But I'm not Dean, so I'm going to tell you, good effort out there today, and it's what I would have done." He looked at her, and she grinned back at him.

"Do you guys always feel like this?" She asked.

"Feel like what?" He asked, concentrating on the road.

"Like you're on this high, after you've done something like this. I got this incredible adrenaline rush while I was running forward to get that bike out. I felt all powerful, amazing." He nodded.

"Yeah, you get that on your first few rescue's, but after a while, it tones down a little, and it just becomes work." She closed her eyes, thinking about all the possibilities. Lachie focussed on the road, glancing at her occasionally. He pulled into the station house, and Kate jumped out and raced inside. Lachie shook his head at himself, and climbed out. Kate came running down the stairs, tote bag in one hand, a brightly coloured beach towel over her shoulder. Vince's keys were in her other hand.

"Where are you going?" Asked Lachie.

"Just out."

"Does your Dad know you're taking his car?" She nodded.

"Of course he does." Kate opened the driver door, and pulled her P-plates out, sliding them under the number plates. She hopped into the driver's seat and reversed out, and sped down the road. She wound down the window, feeling the wind ruffle her hair. She pulled into the carpark near the beach, and parked. She dragged her board off the racks on the roof, and stripped down to her bikini in the parking lot. She sprinted down to the beach, board under her arm. She hit the surf, and paddled out past the sand breaker. She had a new surfing trick she wanted to try, and it was risky. She waved to Bethany, a surfing friend from way back. She headed for where the perfect waves could be found, and waited. Her patience was rewarded with a beautiful wave. She paddled a little, then stood up, lining her board up. She became one with the wave, and tried to execute the turn. She failed, and flipped back off the board, falling into the pounding waves. Her board snapped back, the fins cutting across her leg. She flinched as she came up to the surface, and climbed back onto the board. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the adrenaline racing through her veins. She just had to do that again.

* * *

 

"Lachie, you seen my keys?" Asked Vince. He knocked a pile of paperwork off his desk.

"Didn't you lend them to Kate?" Lachie asked, feeling confused.

"No. Kate's not supposed to take my car without asking." Lachie gulped.

"Well, don't bother looking for your keys. Kate's taken your car." Vince slammed the drawer he was looking through.

"Where did she take it?" Asked Vince menacingly. Lachie held his hands up in defence.

"I have no idea Vince. She just grabbed her bag and a towel and took off."

"She's gone to the beach." Vince ran down the stairs just as Kate pulled into the car park, Lachie hot on his heels. His face grew redder, and he burst out of the door.

"Where have you been?" He roared. She got out of the car, and her towel fell onto the ground. She tried to pick it up, covering the cuts on her legs.

"Kate, what happened?" Asked Lachie, concerned. She hurriedly pulled the towel around her waist.

"Nothing happened. Just leave it," she snapped.

"You know you shouldn't be taking my car Kate. What on earth possessed you to do it?" Demanded Vince. She shrugged.

"Just wanted to see something. It's fine." She walked up the stairs, limping slightly. Vince turned to Lachie.

"I want you to watch her carefully. Don't let her do anything stupid," said Vince, jamming a finger into Lachie's chest. Lachie nodded his submission.

"Go and clean the patrols," instructed Vince. He was fuming about Kate, but also had this nagging fear that something else was going on.

Kate limped her way up the stairs, and sat down in the chair next to Lara's. She turned, and noticed Kate holding the towel onto her leg.

"What's up?" Asked Lara.

"My surfboard caught me," she mumbled. Lara lifted up the towel, and winced as she thought about how much it would hurt.

"Kate, you should really go to hospital."

"I'll be fine. Can you just help me clean it up?" Snapped Kate. Lara eased herself out of her chair, and waddled over to the kitchen. She pulled out the first aid kit, and sat down in front of Kate.

"Take off the towel," Lara instructed, pulling saline solution and gauze pads out of the box. Kate lifted up the towel, wincing as it pulled on her skin. Lara poured some of the saline onto the wound, cleaning it. She opened the wrapping around the gauze pad, and held it onto Kate's leg. She pulled out the cloth tape, and tore off a strip with one hand. She secured the patch onto her leg, and cleaned up the mess.

"Be careful. You want it to heal, not rip it open more." Lara packed away the kit, and went back to her typing. Kate sighed. Vince came up the stairs, speaker set over his head.

"Yeah, mate, we're on our way." He ended the call.

"Team, we've got a car dangling over the edge of a cliff near the beach. Took the turn too fast, and missed the corner completely. Get moving!" Kate stepped down the stairs quickly, and got into the patrol. Lachie climbed in, and put the patrol in gear, pulling out the traffic. He flipped on the siren to help them get through the traffic quicker, and accelerated.

"Where'd you go today Grommet?" Asked Lachie distractedly.

"Just went for a surf, to clear my head." He nodded, changing lanes.

"I thought you said you'd asked your Dad if you take the car. You didn't."

"I know, I just needed to get out for a while. I won't do it again." Lachie pulled over. The white car sat precariously on the crevice, the pounding ocean below threatening to swallow it whole if it fell. Lachie stepped out of the patrol.

"Heidi and Chase are about five minutes behind us. We need to secure that car." Kate pulled out the tow line from the front of the patrol, and slid under the car, securing it.

"Ok, it's hooked up." A screaming child could be heard in the car.

"Lachie? I think we need to get them out," called Kate. The car creaked ominously. He crept around the car, trying to see if he could get in.

"Harness up Kate, you'll have to go through the back window." She grabbed her harness out of the truck, and slipped it on. Lachie took a rope and tied around one of the barriers, and looped it through Kate's harness. He handed her a tool.

"Smash the back window with that, and we can drag the child through there and bring them out here." Kate nodded, and climbed onto the back of the car. It groaned, balancing dangerously on the edge. She hit the back window, and it shattered. The screaming child got louder as she crawled forward. A baby was strapped in the capsule, bawling its eyes out. Kate unstrapped the infant, cradling it to her chest.

"Lachie, come closer." He moved forward.

"What's up?" She crawled out backward, and passed him the squalling child. He instantly cushioned the baby, and tried to console it. Heidi and Chase skidded to a halt near Kate and Lachie's patrol, and Heidi jumped out. Lachie passed her the whimpering baby, a look of discomfort on his face. She laughed a little, and then cooed over the child in her arms. Lachie turned back to the situation at hand.

"Can you get to the driver?" He called to Kate. She nodded, and crawled back in. The car tipped forward, threatening to go over the edge.

"Come back Kate, it's too dangerous!" Yelled Lachie. She ignored him and kept going, and reached the driver's seat, finding it empty. There was nobody trapped there.

"Lachie! There's no-one here!" She called back.

"That's great, now get out!" The car gave up its teetering balance game, and toppled over the edge. The securing cable snapped, hitting the patrol.

"Kate!" Yelled Chase. The barrier groaned and bent, Kate's rope giving way. She screamed as she fell down the cliff. Lachie and Chase lay on the ground, trying to see Kate.

"Kate!" Kate fell, the wind whipping her hair forward. She waited for the impact, and hit the water hard. The air left her lungs in a rush, and she sunk a few metres. She swam up to the surface, and hit the sweet salty air. She spluttered, water lacing the oxygen she breathed in. Her body ached from the force of hitting the water. The water around her became discoloured, and she realised her leg was bleeding again. The strength with which she hit the water must have caused the wounds to open.

"Kate!" Lachie's voice floated down to her. She was jolted by a wave, and tried to raise her hands to signal to Lachie. A surge of water sent her under again, and she coughed as she came up again. She was coming dangerously close to the jagged rocks. Another surf came up, and she was swallowed by it. Her head made contact with a rock, and her world become dark.

"Can you see her?" Asked Chase.

"No, I can't. We've got to get down there," said Lachie as he got up and dusted himself off. Heidi was still holding the child, now sleeping in her arms.

"Did you see her?" She asked, concerned. He ran back to the truck.

"We can't see her. Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Base. Vince, we need the surf clubs out near our location."

"Patient's fallen in the water?"

"No, car's gone over the edge with your daughter on it." Vince swore into his headpiece.

"I thought I told you to watch her," he said angrily. He scrabbled around his desk and called the surf club closest to them.

"I was Vince, I swear."

"They're en route to your location. Get down to the club and they'll take you out on the second boat." Lachie tucked his radio back into his pocket, and jumped in the front.

"Chase, take Heidi and the baby to the police station. We have no idea who that baby belongs to."

"What about you?" Asked Chase.

"I'll meet the clubbies, and go out to find Kate. Vince will kill me otherwise." He sped off, flooring the accelerator. He made it down to the clubhouse in record time.

"You Lachie?" Asked a girl at the door.

"Yep."

"I'm Hannah. The boat's out back." Lachie ran past her and climbed in, Hannah following him. She turned on the motor, and they raced after the other boat, bouncing on the turbulent waves. Lachie sat in silence while Hannah steered the boat, contemplating what Vince would do to him if something happened to Kate. He gulped nervously, knowing whatever Vince would do to him, it wouldn't be good.

"There!" Called Hannah. A body floated face-down in the water.

"No, not Kate. Please," pleaded Lachie. Hannah pulled up beside the body and turned off the engine. She moved to the front of the boat, and helped Lachie haul Kate's body into the boat.

"Get us to back to shore. Hurry!" He started CPR on Kate, hoping, almost praying that she would breathe again.

"Come on Kate," he whispered. She coughed and spluttered, and started throwing up sea water.

"That's good Kate, come on!" He rolled her into the recovery position as the water literally poured from her mouth. She choked and coughed. Lachie sighed in relief. The gash on her forehead was impressive, and he pressed a gauze pad to it.

"Don't ever do that again," Lachie said quietly. She motioned to her leg, trying to speak, but not succeeding.

"What?" He put his hand to her leg, and pulled it away, covered in blood. He ripped the pant leg open, finding the three gashes from her board bleeding profusely. He pulled a tourniquet out of the medi-kit open next to him, and applied it to the wound. She was pale, and Lachie wondered if it was from blood loss. Lachie pulled an oxygen mask out of his bag, and slipped it over her head.

"Suck in this, it'll help." She nodded, and closed her eyes.

"Don't close your eyes Kate, I need you to stay awake for me." She forced her eyes open, blinking slowly at him. Her chest ached from Lachie's compressions, and her head pounded. She desperately wanted to sleep. She raised her hand to her head, and winced as she touched the graze. Her throat hurt from the salt-water she had swallowed, and the rest of her body was tired from when she tried to fight the waves. The bottom of the boat scraped the sandbank near the shore, and Hannah killed the engine.

"Come on, I'll help you carry your stuff to shore." Lachie took the oxygen mask off Kate, and handed his medi-kit over to Hannah, who slung it over her shoulder. He slipped one arm under her knees, and the other under back. He lifted her up gently, and stepped out of the boat. Vince was on the shore, waiting anxiously. As soon as he saw the pair he ran down the beach, and splashed into the low waves.

"Kate! Kate!" He got to her, and smoothed back her hair.

"Oh, Kate, what did you do?" He asked sadly. She smiled weakly, and Lachie stepped forward, watching his footing. He didn't want to drop her, and Vince wasn't making things easy.

"Vince, let me take her up to the ambulance. You can go with her if you need to." Vince nodded, and stepped in front of the two, making his way up the beach. Lachie took his own step forward, and felt Kate go limp in his arms. He looked down at her, her head rolled back.

"Kate?" He asked. Nothing. He shook her a little, hoping she was just relaxing. No such luck.

"Vince!"

"She's still breathing!" Called Lachie as Vince sprinted across the sand.

"Come on Kate, please wake up for me," cried Vince. Lachie surged forward, and the ambulance officers met them on the bitumen, gurney up. Lachie lifted her onto the stretcher, and the ambo's snapped on an oxygen mask. They shoved her into the back of the ambulance, and hurried away, sirens blaring. Vince turned to Lachie.

"I told you to watch her!" He yelled.

"I did Vince. I told her to get out, and she disobeyed a direct order. We didn't see this coming," Lachie said calmly. Vince turned heel and got into his car, driving in the same direction the ambulance went. Lachie shook his head, and pulled out his phone.

"Dean? How's Jordan?" He asked when Dean picked up.

"Yeah, he's alright. Little bruised and has a decent headache, but he'll be alright. How did your rescue go?"

"Kate's on her way to the hospital now," answered Lachie quietly. Dean gasped.

"What happened?" Lachie relayed the events back to him.

"Wow. I don't know what we'll do with her."

"I don't know Dean. We can't let her keep going though."

"Maybe Lara can talk to her. They get along fairly well."

"Can you ask her Dean?"

* * *

Vince sat in a hard hospital chair, waiting for news. The last time he was here, Sam was in a coma, and came out of it brain-damaged. He knew he'd have to call Vanessa and let her know what was going on, but he didn't have the energy to even pick up his phone. He ran his hands through his hair. How could he have let her join Rescue? He knew it was too dangerous, but was finally excited that she had taken an interest in what he was doing, and wanted to be a part of it. He'd accelerated her through all the training, pulled strings to let her into the force, and now she'd risked it all. He sat back just as a doctor walked in.

"Mr Marcello?" Vince stood up.

"Your daughter Kate will be fine. She's just suffering from exhaustion, and we'd like to keep her here overnight for observation, but she should be okay." Vince breathed a sigh of relief at the doctors words.

"Thank you doc. Can I see her?"

"Yes, but not for long. She's sleeping."

* * *

Dean pulled into HQ. Chase and Heidi were back now, and he had to fill in Heidi about Jordan.

"Hey Heidi," he called up the stairs. She stuck her head over the railing.

"How's Jordan?" She yelled down.

"He's alright, bit banged up, has a decent headache. Should be out soon." She nodded, and ducked back to her desk. Dean came up behind Lara.

"Hey, how you and baby doing?" He asked. She smiled at him.

"Yeah, we're okay. Had a bit of an expansion, but doing well." He put a hand on her knee.

"I need to ask you a favour," he said quietly.

"What is it?" She asked, concerned.

"We're worried Kate's becoming addicted to the thrill of rescue. We don't want her to lose her drive, but she's throwing herself off buildings, and doing dangerous stuff." Lara laughed a little.

"That's pretty much what we do Dean," she said, sniggering a little. He smiled, and then the seriousness of the situation hit him again.

"I know. I think she's gone a little too far though." She nodded.

"You want me to talk to her?" She asked. He nodded.

"We talked about this, and we think you're the best choice to talk to her."

"Okay, I can do this," said Lara. She grinned broadly.

"What?" She motioned for his hand, and put it on her abdomen.

"Check this out," she said happily.

"It never ceases to amaze me."

"It's funny, but the baby always moves more when you're around, or talking to me. It's like the baby knows." He smiled, and kissed her. She pulled away, and picked up her keys.

"I'd better head over to the hospital if I'm going to talk to Kate."

* * *

Vanessa walked into the hospital, concern for her daughter filling her body.

"Where is she Vince?" He raised his hands.

"She's in a room, asleep. She's alright, they'll keep her overnight for observation." She turned to him.

"How could you let this happen to her? I can't believe you let her into that stupid Rescue…."

"She asked for this! I didn't push her into it!" He yelled. People in the hospital looked at them. He grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her outside.

"Don't you dare blame this on me, Vanessa. This is not my fault! She's an adult, capable of making her own decisions." She glared at him.

"First I lose Sam, now I'm about to lose Kate? I don't think so. She's moving back in with me after this, and she can leave Rescue. I want her safe again Vince, not endangering her life every day saving people she doesn't know. You can do that Vince, but I don't want Kate doing it anymore." He nodded.

"I know, but leave the decision up to her. You can't force her into this, she'll hate you."

"I don't care," spat Vanessa. Vince shook his head.

"I know you mean well Vanessa, but you really need to stop interfering." He turned heel and walked away, leaving Vanessa to look at him, gobsmacked. He saw Lara inside, sitting next to Kate's bed. He stuck his head inside the door.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. She flipped onto the next page of her magazine.

"The boys have asked me to talk to Kate." Kate stirred in the bed and opened her eyes, looking at Lara.

"What are you doing here?" She slurred, half asleep. Lara closed her magazine, and put it next to Kate's bed, and pulled her chair closer.

"We need to talk." Kate sat up in her bed.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked.

"We need to talk about what's going on for you," said Lara. Kate sighed, and flopped back against her pillow.

"What did they say to you now?" Kate asked wearily.

"Your Dad and the boys are a little worried about the risks you've been taking. Talk to me Kate. What is going on?"

"Have you ever felt so powerful that you could take on the world? Had the adrenaline rush of all times, and felt like you were invincible?" Lara nodded.

"That's where I was before I left the team. After some time on the Rescue squad, you start to feel like you can do anything, and you're on top of the world. I began to take stupid risks, trying to save the patients that were in impossible predicaments, I almost got killed. And it was all for the thrill of my blood pulsing through my veins, adrenaline rushing through my body. And sometimes, when you first start out, it can happen too. You go from being an ordinary bystander to someone who can make a difference, and can see the change you can make. That's where I think you are Kate, and it's not going to end well. You'll end up losing a patient, or injuring yourself. You need to take a step back from everything, re-evaluate." Kate nodded.

"Is that how you dealt with it?"

"That, and almost twelve months away from Rescue. I don't want anything to happen to you, and I think your Dad, Dean, Lachie, everyone will tell you that they don't want anything to happen to you. You're good at this Kate. Talented at Rescue." Kate smiled shyly.

"Really?" Lara smiled back.

"Really. Take your time coming back, and then I'll see you at back at Rescue." Lara hugged Kate, and left. Vince came in.

"How you going Grommet?" She nodded.

"I'm okay Dad." He took the seat Lara had vacated, and held her hand. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

"Kate, I really think that you coming to work with me was not the greatest idea. I pushed you into it, and I don't think I gave you the chance to go out and explore the world." Kate just stared at him.

"What? Dad, no!"

"Kate, I think this is best. Your mum wants you to come back home and live with her, and I can't protect you anymore. You're taking dangerous risks, and if you don't stop, then someone in the team is going to get hurt, or we'll lose a patient. I don't want that to happen Grommet. I don't want you to be in an accident and end up like Sammy, or end up killed." He wiped away a tear.

"Dad, please, don't do this. I love Rescue, I didn't join because you pushed me, I joined because I was genuinely interested, and wanted to save the world. You working at Rescue was the icing on the cake, made it easier for me to become part of the team. I already knew my workmates, was best friends with the boss, and my Dad could watch out for me and be my rock. I don't want to go and live with Mum. I promise I'll stop Dad, I'll stop taking the stupid risks, and just take the ones that come with the job. Just don't make me quit, please," pleaded Kate. Vince stood up.

"I need to talk to Michelle." Kate was left alone, and the tears slid down her cheeks as she choked back a sob. What would she do if she had to leave Rescue?

* * *

Lara came back later, bringing with her some magazines and Kate's iPod to get her through the night. She stuck her head in.

"Hey Grom… What's up? What's wrong?" Lara dumped the glossy magazines on the bedside table, and perched herself on the edge of Kate's bed.

"Dad wants me to quit. To leave. He thinks he's pushed me into it, and that he's forced me into the wrong direction for my life." Lara rubbed her hand.

"Honey, he's just concerned for you. He's your Dad, and he's used to being able to protect you. Now that you're an adult, he's trying to come to terms with the fact that he can't always save you. This is just as hard on you as it is on him." Kate sniffled, and Lara handed her a tissue.

"I'll talk to him, see if I can make him come around." She smoothed back Kate's hair.

"Rest up, tomorrow we're springing you out." Lara left, heading for HQ. She knew Vince would be there, doing paperwork, as he always did in the evenings if the team didn't go out for drinks. She pulled into the drive, and turned off the engine.

"Vince, you up there?" She called as she opened the door.

"Yeah Lara, what's up?" She started her ascent up the stairs.

"I need to talk you," she said, panting as she got to the top of the stairs.

"About what?" She sat her tired body into the desk chair.

"Kate." He leant back in his chair, and sighed.

"She can't stay Lara. I spend every day worrying about her when she goes out on a rescue, and if she's not here, I can breathe easy."

"Aren't you making this a little about yourself here Vince? Kate loves her job. She's a born rescue team member. She picks up on training fast, she's young and athletic. We need new blood in our teams. Dean's going to come to a point where he isn't physically able to keep going with this. I'm going to become a mum in less than two months. Do you think I'll be able to keep up with this? Heidi and Jordan will get married, and while they are younger team members, they will come to the same crossroad in their lives, where doing Rescue isn't possible. Kate needs to be reminded of protocols, yes, but the new life she's brought into the team allows us to rest assured that Rescue isn't going to be disbanded once we're all in our eighties." He nodded.

"I agree. Maybe it's time I did a refresher course on procedures for the team." Lara groaned.

"Seriously Vince? That's my cue to leave." He laughed as she walked down the stairs. She came out to her car, and stopped. It had been graffitied, the garish red paint dripping.

_Brokenhearted._

The windows were smashed in, doors dented, tires slashed. Lara sighed and headed back inside.

* * *

_She stepped from the shadows, spray can in hand, and pulled her hoodie off. She smiled as she observed her handiwork, and ducked back into the shadows… Waiting… Biding her time…_


	10. 4-10: Plans Backfired

_4-10: Plans Backfired_

* * *

Michelle, Heidi and Kate sat in Michelle's office, colour cards, fabric swatches and baby catalogues strewn everywhere. They were designing the baby's room for Lara, and had almost finalised their choices.

"I think gender-neutral colours are better. Maybe a light green?" Said Kate to the room.

"Definitely. White furniture would be good too," answered Heidi, circling a crib and change table in one of the catalogues.

"Stripes, spots, what should we go for?" Asked Michelle. She spread the cloth samples on the table. Heidi and Kate pointed at the same one, and the girls all burst out laughing.

"I guess the baby's going to have to learn to like stripes," said Michelle, giggling. Kate selected the colour charts, and put the discarded ones back in the sleeve that she pulled them out of.

"I hope Lara likes this," said Kate. Heidi answered.

"Don't worry, she will."

* * *

Jess and Chase sat at the dining table, enjoying breakfast together, the chance for some time together. Chase reached for the salt, and after realising it wasn't there, got up from his chair to get it from the kitchen.

"Babe, let me do it," said Jess. She motioned for him to sit down, and wheeled herself into the kitchen. She opened the cupboard where all the sauces and salts were, and stretched her arm up to get it. It was out of her reach. She sighed in frustration, and, using the bench in front of her, tried to push her weight up to reach it. As her body rose, she grabbed it with her free hand, when suddenly the chair came out from underneath her, sliding backwards. The shifting momentum caused her to fall forward, dropping the salt, and knocking off several plates off the bench to the floor. The shattering sound coming from the kitchen got Chase's attention.

"Jess? Are you okay?" He asked. He heard sobbing from the kitchen, and moved quickly through the door. Jess was shaking as she looked at her hands, the shards of ceramics having sliced her hands and arms. Chase rushed forward, mindful of the sharp pieces on the floor. He grabbed a tea towel from the bench, and pressed it against the open wounds, trying to stem the blood flow. With one hand, he held the cloth to her arm, and with the other, pulled out his phone. With shaky hands he dialled Lachie. He answered on the first ring.

"Chase, thought you would have been here by now. What's going on?" Lachie asked.

"I need your help here with Jess, how fast can you get here?" Chase said desperately. Lachie picked up the concern in Chase's voice.

"I can be there in five minutes." The line went dead. Chase dropped his phone, and held her arms, keeping the pressure on.

"What were you doing?" He asked, trying to keep her focussed.

"I was just reaching for the salt. It was on a shelf that was too high. I tried to push myself higher, and then became unbalanced. I slipped." The tears streamed down her face, and Chase freed up on of his hands, and wiped away the tears.

"Don't cry babe. It's alright." Lachie appeared in the kitchen, medi-kit over his shoulder.

"Lucky you gave me an extra key Chase." He crouched down on the floor next to them.

"What do you want me to do Chase? You should have called an ambulance," said Lachie, taking Jess's other arm. Chase felt flustered, grabbed his phone from the floor and left the kitchen, dialling as he walked. Lachie checked her arms over.

"These will probably need stitches. Did Chase check you over?" She shook her head. She couldn't form words anymore; the pain was starting to get to her. Lachie pulled out a bandage, and wound it around her arms. He cleared away the mess around her, so he could check her legs. He moved her left leg out, and noticed the cuts on it immediately. Chase came in, still on the phone.

"They should be here in two, three minutes. How is she?" Lachie motioned to her legs. Chase gasped, and dropped down. Jess was no longer crying. She wasn't doing anything, just staring blankly. He smoothed back her hair.

"The ambos will be here in a minute, babe." She nodded mutely. A knock on the front door got Chase to his feet, and he opened it to find the ambos there. He ushered them inside, and they took over from Lachie. After five minutes, they transferred her onto the gurney, and wheeled her outside. Chase followed, holding her hand.

"I'll meet you at the hospital, just let me organise work. You'll be fine." The officer closed the door, and they drove away, sirens blaring. Lachie slapped Chase on the back.

"She'll be ok. You did the right thing. They'll patch her up, and then you can bring her home and look after her for a change." Chase nodded.

"I know, but it's not the first time something like this has happened. She slipped trying to transfer into the bath, and cut her face up, and bruised her forehead. I have to tell you Lachie, this isn't easy." Lachie nodded.

"I can understand that. You'll pull through this Chase."

* * *

Jordan looked at the plans spread across the table, feeling increasingly overwhelmed by all the wedding and baby talk that was going on in his life. He ran his fingers through his hair, and sighed. He wanted Heidi to have everything she ever dreamed about in a wedding, but knew that they'd never be able to plan all this themselves. They had to keep working, and if they had any hope of getting married, they needed help getting it all together. He pulled Heidi's laptop closer on the table, and looked up details for one of the best wedding planners in the city; Couture Wedding Planners. They answered on the first ring.

"Hello, you have reached Couture Wedding Planners. How may we help you organise your perfect day?"

* * *

 

Dean sat with Lara at the doctor's office, for her check-up. She was nervous a little, but not worried. Dean held her hand. She'd let him back into her life. She needed him to help support her. She wasn't moving back in with him, but was spending more time with him. She smiled at him, and he kissed her.

"Miss Knight?" She stood up and followed the nurse into the doctor's office. He asked a series of questions, took measurements, and after twenty minutes or so, had finished with her.

"You're right on track Miss Knight. Only eight or less weeks to go and you'll be meeting your new baby." She smiled at the doctor.

"Thank you." She walked outside, and Dean took her hand. She climbed into the front of his car, and Dean drove them away. After a few minutes, she realised they were going in the wrong direction.

"Dean, where are we going?"

"To see my Dad and Fiona." She glanced at him.

"Why?"

"Just trust me," he said, pulling into the Gallagher house driveway. He turned off the engine, and came around to help Lara out of the car.

"Dean! Lara, good to see you," said Shane, coming out of the house. He embraced Lara, and shook hands with his son. Fiona came out of the front door.

"Lara, you're looking beautiful. Come in, come in!" Shane ushered everyone back inside, and Fiona made tea. After they were settled on the couch, Dean spoke.

"Fiona, Dad, I need to ask you a favour."

"Anything son," answered Shane.

"After Lara's had the baby, we're going to need your support, maybe some help…" Fiona put a hand on Dean.

"We'll do anything for you Dean. You should know that." He nodded.

"Thanks guys."

* * *

Chase stopped in a HQ just as Vince was mobilizing a team.

"What's going on?" Asked Chase.

"We've got a rescue. Why are you late? And why do you have blood on your hands?" Chase ignored him.

"Where is it?" He asked. Vince glanced sideways at him, and handed him the paperwork. Lachie opened the door downstairs, and heard Chase thundering down the stairs.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"Fire Rescue. Dean's going to meet us there, and he'll pick up Jordan on the way. The girls are having a nursery day, whatever that is." Lachie followed Chase to the patrol.

"What about Jess?" He asked.

"She knows that I have to work today." Chase threw the patrol into gear, pulled out of the drive, and sped down the road. Lachie held on for dear life as Chase swerved in and out of the traffic.

"Chase, you sure you're alright?" Chase ignored him as they pulled up to the side of the burning building. Annika was the firie in charge of the building.

"We've got a woman trapped upstairs, fifth floor, early twenties. We've got a few other injuries here, but I think the woman will be your most pressing." Chase nodded at her, and moved to the back of the patrol. He tossed a medi-kit at Lachie, and pulled out the BA's. After checking each other's equipment, they sprinted into the building. They counted the flights of stairs as the raced up them, one, two, three, four. They made it up to the fifth, and opened the door. Smoke poured through the doorway. Chase made his way through the door. They could hear the cries for help.

"Please! Hello? I'm trapped in here!" Lachie pushed past Chase, following the cries. He kicked in a door. The smoke was thinner in here. A woman was trapped under a heavy metal bookcase, struggling to breathe. Lachie and Chase dashed forward. Between the pair of them, they hefted the thick case up, and pushed it to the side. Lachie checked her over.

"I'm going to get a spine board. Look after her," Lachie said to Chase, slapping him on the back. Chase checked her vitals.

"Can you tell me where it hurts?" She winced.

"My back's sore." Chase nodded, and felt down her spine. She flinched when he got down to her lower back, the point where the bookcase had hit. She had a bruise there, and probably some damage. A serious thought suddenly hit Chase.

"Ma'am, can you move your legs?" She tried, and nothing happened. A million things ran through Chase's mind. Jess and her accident, the difficulties this woman would have now with a disability. He couldn't be entirely sure, but his gut feeling told him he was right. Lachie appeared in the room, spine board in hand. Together he and Chase transferred the young woman carefully onto the spine board. She started gasping.

"Chase, need you in here." Chase crept forward. Lachie motioned for the oxygen. Chase was slow in handing it over.

"Chase, come on!" Said Lachie angrily. Chase felt like he was watching from afar. He wondered if this is how it all happened for Jess. He hadn't been at her rescue, but they would have known. Lachie scrabbled through his bag, searching for something.

"Chase, I need a needle." Chase didn't move.

"Chase! Snap out of it." Chase handed him the needle, and Lachie snatched it out of his hand. He pulled the stopper out, felt along the female's chest for the right spot, and plunged the needle into her torso. She took a deep shuddering breath as air filled her lungs.

"Chase, what the hell is going on?" Hissed Lachie. Chase shook his head.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Three, what's the sit-rep guys?" Lachie grappled for his radio.

"Dean, I need you or Jordan up here now to help me move the patient out. Chase's mind has just gone AWOL."

* * *

 

Chase left the scene in a haze. He couldn't remember what had happened, he just climbed into the patrol and drove away. After what seemed like minutes, he found himself outside of the hospital where they had taken Jess. He walked inside, and asked them where she was. They directed him upstairs, and he walked into her room. She was bandaged up, and looked uncomfortable, but her face lit up when Chase walked in the room. He sat down in the chair next to her bed.

"Babe, what's wrong?"

"Is that how it felt for you?" She looked confusedly at him.

"What?"'

"Did you just realise that you no longer had control of your legs?" She looked down at the bed, toying with a loose thread.

"I wondered when you'd ask," she said quietly. He took one of her hands.

"What was it like?"

"The truck hit the car, and I had a searing pain in my lower back. Like someone had tried to separate it from the rest of my body. After that, I couldn't feel my legs. I thought they were just asleep, or numb, and when I was trying to move them, that I couldn't see them moving, Then when Lachie and Kate got to me, I realised I was in serious trouble. They never woke up. After that, you know the rest." He stroked her hand, quiet.

"Chase, what's going on? What happened?" She asked.

"We rescued a woman today trapped by a bookcase. It hit her in the lower back, and it made me realise how things would have come about for you. I just froze in the middle of a rescue. I've never done that, but all I could think about was you." She leant forward and kissed his forehead.

"Chase, I know it's hard, but this is all about adjustments. For both of us. You've now got a girlfriend who is slightly more dependent on you, and I've got to get used to the idea that my legs won't work again, and that I need help. Life is ever changing Chase. You know that from your Rescue work. Nothing is ever constant." He nodded. A nurse came in.

"Mr Gallagher? Come with me. I need to fill you in on the care details for Miss Turner." Jess was left alone. The tears welled in her eyes as she thought about how lucky she was to have Chase. She'd heard stories from the others about some of the girls Chase had dated. She could never match up to one of them. She was interrupted from her reverie by Heidi standing at the door.

"Hey Jess. Lachie filled us in on what's going on. How are you?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"I've been better. It's not every day you try and butcher yourself on plates," she said drily. Heidi laughed, and perched herself on the edge of her bed.

"So when are you being freed from here?"

"Soon, probably. They're filling Chase in with the details for pain management and wound care." Heidi nodded.

"Do you feel like a girls day?" She asked.

"I'd love one. I don't know how much fun I'd be, I'm trapped in a wheelchair." Heidi waved off her concerns.

"We're not doing anything special, we thought you'd like to come have some girl time for a change. We're decorating the nursery for Lara's baby, and we thought you might like to come with us. You don't have to if you don't want to," added Heidi. Jess shook her head.

"Heidi, I'd love to come out and spend some time with the real world. All I ever seem to do at the moment is sit in the house all day while Chase is out gallivanting across the country, or in the hospital here doing rehab. I can't wait to be able to go out. None of my old girlfriends want to do anything, because it's too hard to organise with the chair." She seemed down.

"Then it's settled. We'll spring you out, take you over in one of the patrols. You can drink wine and eat fancy cheese while we do all the hard work, and then I can take you home." Jess leant forward and hugged her.

"Thank you Heidi." Chase came back in, the nurse following him. He looked shocked at seeing Heidi.

"Heidi? When did you get here?"

"Oh, a little while ago. Just talking baby stuff with Jess here." He smiled, happy that his girlfriend was getting some girl time. Her sister hadn't even been around to see her since her accident. The nurse handed Jess some paperwork, and she signed off. Her wheelchair, having been brought in the ambulance when they picked her up, was brought over. She started to transfer herself, but Chase stopped her.

"Let me help you. You don't want to be pulling out any stitches." She nodded, and let herself be lifted by his strong arms. Lucky for him she was only a petite girl. As soon as she was in the chair, Heidi started to push her down the hall.

"Hey, where are you going with my girlfriend?" Chase called.

"I'm stealing her from you for a while. Don't worry, I'll bring her back! We're heading over to Lara's to do some decorating, if that's okay with you." He laughed, and waved them off.

"Sure, it's fine. Do you need…" Heidi cut him off.

"Transfers are easy Chase. Between Michelle, Kate and myself, I think we can handle it." Chase ran forward, and stopped them. He crouched down and kissed Jess.

"I love you babe." He stood up and looked at Heidi.

"Take good care of her." Heidi gave him a quick hug, and returned to Jess's wheelchair.

"Of course Chase."

* * *

 

Heidi, Michelle, Kate and Jess all crammed into Lara's apartment. Dean had taken Lara out for the afternoon, to keep her out while the girls worked their magic in the tiny office, turning it into the perfect baby room. He would convince her to stay the night as well, and then they would surprise her later. Jess sat in the room, giggling as she folded tiny jumpsuits and little t-shirts, putting them in the white chest of drawers. Heidi and Kate painted the walls while Michelle sat and enjoyed a cup of tea.

"So do you think Lara will like it?" Asked Jess.

"I think she will. As long as she didn't have to do it herself, I think she was happy for us to do anything. She doesn't know we're doing it tonight." Michelle's phone rang, and she ducked into the kitchen.

"So Jess, where do you work?" Jess rested her hands on her lap.

"As of last week, nowhere. My boss fired me because I needed more time off for rehab. Now I'm jobless, and the bills for rehab and the hospital are mounting in costs, and I don't want Chase to have to do any more than he has done. He's done so much already." She wiped a tear away. Heidi put down her paintbrush, and dusted her hands on her jeans. She crouched in front of Jess.

"We can help you out. You make Chase so happy, and we don't really want that to change. He works better when he's cheerful. I can help you out until you get back on your feet." Jess smiled through her tears.

"Thanks Heidi." Michelle came back into the room.

"How hard is it to find an assistant?" She said tiredly. Kate looked at her, still painting the wall.

"What do you need an assistant for?" Asked Kate.

"I just want to be able to spend some time with James before he has to go off to school. I'm looking at cutting my hours back, and I've been looking for a replacement for weeks. I need time to train them up for next year." She sat on a stool.

"What does the job entail?" Asked Jess, putting nappies away in the second drawer.

"Paperwork, liaising with ministers and heads of other department. Occasionally they'd have to talk to Vince, and help organise rescue's if they're big ones." Heidi glanced at Jess.

"What sort of qualifications do you need?" Michelle laughed.

"Why all the questions Jess?"

"I'm looking for a job; maybe Rescue fits the bill for me." Michelle stopped laughing, and became thoughtful.

"That might actually work." She trailed off in thought, and left the room. Kate and Heidi finished the walls, and stepped back to admire their work.

"Looking good girls," said Jess. She backed out of the room and they went into the kitchen for drinks. Heidi's phone rang, and she answered it.

"Hello?"

"Couture Wedding Planners? No, I'm not organising my wedding with you." Silence filled the kitchen as the girls waited for Heidi's next response.

"He did what?" Jess and Kate looked at each other, and giggled quietly. Heidi snapped her phone shut.

"I can't believe he did that," she said angrily.

"Did what Heidi?" Asked Michelle as she came back in.

"Jordan organised a wedding planner for us. We don't need it! We also can't afford the one he picked. I mean, three thousand dollars minimum, and then there are so many more added costs." Michelle looked taken aback.

"Hang on a second. Jordan organised this?" Asked Jess. Heidi nodded.

"I'd be proud of him Heidi. Not many guys have the guts to ring a wedding planner and ask for help. They'd usually run in the other direction," Michelle said seriously.

"Yeah, I mean, a guy taking responsibility? Almost unheard of. You've got yourself a keeper there Heidi," said Kate, struggling to keep in the laughter. Michelle stood up.

"Come on, we need to keep moving. Otherwise the baby will arrive, and Lara will have nothing for it!"

* * *

Lachie and Chase sat at the bar. Lachie had nothing better to do, and Chase didn't want to be at home alone. They sipped their beers, watching the footy game on the big screen overhead.

"So found yourself a girl yet Lachie?" Asked Chase, taking a swig of his beer. Lachie shook his head.

"Nah, nothing yet. She'll come. One day mate, it'll happen." They sat in silence, and then Jordan walked in.

"Jordan, mate. What are you doing here?" Asked Chase incredulously.

"Heidi's out with the girls, and I'm bored senseless at home. Thought I'd find you guys here, and I'd come join." He ordered a beer, and sat at their table.

"How's the game going?" He asked, desperate for small talk.

"Nothing much," answered Chase. They nursed their beers, silent until Lachie let out a low whistle, and turned away from the table.

"Check out the blonde chick! Talk about hot," said Lachie. Chase and Jordan peered around him.

"Mate, could so tap that if I wasn't dating Jess." Lachie laughed at Chase, slapping him on the back.

"But sadly, you are dating her mate, so you can't really." He took a sip of his beer, and started discussing babes, and the hotness factor. After twenty minutes, Lachie started to feel dizzy. He put his hands on the table, trying to stop his head spinning. Chase and Jordan noticed his change in demeanour.

"Lachie, you alright mate?" Asked Jordan.

"How did I get here? I need to get home." He lifted his hands to his face. Chase could feel his concern growing in the pit of his stomach.

"Lachie, talk to us, what's going on?" Lachie's head dropped, and he fell sideways. Between Jordan and Chase, they got his limp body into the back of Chase's four wheel drive, and buckled him in. He groaned a little as Chase slammed the door. A note rested on the windscreen.

"What's that?" Asked Jordan. Chase ripped it open.

_Got your brother good. Hope Dean doesn't mind, I'm going to make everyone wish that he'd left for good._

Chase chucked it over his shoulder, not caring about what it said.

"I've got to take him home."

* * *

 

Chase glanced at his brother, sitting in the seat next to him, head lolling on his chest. Chase pressed the bluetooth connected to his visor, and called Dean.

"Yeah Chase, what's up? I'm out with Lara at the moment."

"Dean, I think Lachie's been drugged. What do I do?" Dean was sitting at the restaurant with Lara, lounging in his chair. When he realised that Chase was serious, he sat up straight, concern across his face. Lara looked at him.

"What's wrong?" She asked. He held up a finger to silence her.

"Take him to the hospital, I'll meet you there." He ended the phone call and dialled Michelle.

"Michelle, we've got a bit of a problem."

"What's wrong Dean? Is it Lara?"

"No, Lara's fine. I've got to meet Chase at the hospital, something's wrong with Lachie. I'm sorry Michelle, I've got to drop her home."

"That's fine Dean. We're just about done here anyway. Drop her home, and we can look after her."

"Thanks." He snapped his phone shut, and waved the waiter over.

"What's wrong with Lachie?" Asked Lara.

"Chase thinks he's been drugged. I'm going to go and meet them at the hospital, after I drop you back home. Michelle will stay with you for the night." She nodded, and took Dean's hand.

"I hope he's okay."

"So do I."

When they arrived, Lara climbed out of the car awkwardly. Michelle met her at the door to the building, and handed her a blindfold. She waved at dean as he drove away.

"What's this for?" She asked.

"Just put it on," said Michelle, a smile in her voice. Lara tied it on, and Michelle led her carefully to the elevator. They arrived at her floor, the smell of fresh paint permeating the air. Michelle opened Lara's door, and the other girls came out. Michelle led her to what used to be the office, and peeled away Lara's blindfold with flourish. Lara gasped as she took in the now light green room, with white furniture, and a matching floor rug. Lara opened the drawers to see all the tiny outfits folded inside, and touched the blanket the covered the crib. She turned back to the girls, tears of happiness streaming down her face.

"Thank you so much." Heidi came in and hugged her.

"We're looking forward to this baby almost as much as you are." Lara hugged each of the girls in turn. She looked at Jess.

"Did you help too?" She asked. Jess nodded.

"Who do you think folded all those clothes? No-one else has the patience to do it," she said jokingly. Lara hugged her awkwardly, the chair and her baby bump making it near impossible. She managed it though.

"How did you guys do all this?" She asked, sitting her heavy body down in the kitchen.

"We've been planning this for a while, and today seemed like the opportune time to finish it. Otherwise the baby would arrive and you'd have nothing for it." Jess started to sag in her chair.

"You alright Jess?" Asked Kate. She nodded.

"Just tired," she slurred. Heidi got up, and rinsed her cup in the kitchen.

"That's my cue to take her home. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Heidi wheeled Jess out of Lara's apartment. Kate followed her out.

"Can you drop me at Dad's on the way back?" She asked. Heidi nodded.

"Sure. You can help me transfer Jess into the car." They made their way downstairs. After finally getting Jess into the car, Heidi pulled away, heading for Vince's house. She dropped Kate off, said hello to Vince, and filled him in on what was going on with the Gallagher boys. She climbed back into the front seat. Jess had fallen asleep, her head resting on the window. Heidi smiled, and lifted her head, slipping a jumper underneath. She drove away from Vince's house, and after fifteen minutes, was at Chase's house. She was lucky that he'd given her an extra key, for emergencies. She unlocked the front door, and went back to the car. She pulled out Jess's wheelchair, and looked at it, and then back at Jess. She was light enough to lift, reasoned Heidi. She pushed the empty wheelchair into the house, and returned to the car. She opened the door carefully, supporting Jess. She unbuckled her seatbelt, and put her arms around her neck. She lifted Jess's legs, and lifted her out of the car. Jess stirred, but didn't wake. She was petite, and very light. Heidi carried her to the bedroom, and lifted her onto the bed. She covered her with a blanket, and tiptoed into the loungeroom. She rang Chase.

"What's going on?" She asked as soon as he answered.

"They're trying to stabilise Lachie. He's pretty out of it. They're worried about what effects it will have on his system. How's Jess? Is she okay?" He asked.

"I brought her home. She fell asleep on the way here, and I carried her inside, rather than waking her up. I think she's still getting used to her limitations," said Heidi quietly.

"Probably. Thanks for taking her home Heidi. I owe you one."

"Yeah you do Chase. Keep me posted on Lachie?" She asked.

"Course. Catch you later Heidi." He hung up, and the nurse came out of Lachie's room. Dean and Chase stood simultaneously.

"Dean? Chase? Your brother will be okay, but is suffering some severe side effects. We believe the dose of the drug was fairly high. His blood pressure is dangerously low at the moment, and we're trying to stabilise him." She flipped the pages on her clipboard.

"You may sit with him if you like." Dean and Chase nodded their thanks, and headed inside. Dean took the seat next to Lachie's bed.

"What did you get yourself into?" Chase cleared his throat.

"It wasn't anything he did. It was the crazy freak who's after everyone you know. The one that hurt Lara and Michelle, the one that's threatened to kill Lara."

"What?"

* * *

 

It was a week before Lachie was released from hospital, sent home with orders for bedrest. Now that everything had calmed down, things seemed to be going back to normal. Heidi was sitting with Jordan on the couch at his place, kissing him.

"Babe, you didn't tell me you hired a wedding planner." He froze, mid-kiss.

"How did you find out?" He asked quietly.

"They rang me to find out what I wanted for some flower arrangement, and I have to say, I was quite embarrassed." He kissed her again.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you Heidi. I just figured, with work and our busy lives, that a wedding planner would help. I can cancel it if you don't want to…" She silenced him with a finger on his lips.

"Babe, I'm happy you did something for me. To be honest, I hadn't even thought about the wedding. Between work and Lara, I'm just so off the planet. Maybe you're right." She kissed him again.

"Just don't do it again."

* * *

Michelle sat in her office, frustrated with the results of her ad for an assistant. She ran her hands through her hair, and then pulled it back into a ponytail. Vince stuck his head in.

"Any luck yet?" She shook her head and sighed.

"No. Maybe it's not meant to be Vince. Maybe I'm not supposed to spend time with James." He smiled.

"Well. We might have a solution to that. You might want to come downstairs and meet her though." Michelle stood, confused, and followed Vince outside. Jess sat in the sun, Chase sitting in a chair next to her.

"Jess? What are you doing here?" Asked Michelle. She grinned.

"I'm here for my interview," she answered simply. Michelle looked at Vince.

"Interview?" She asked.

"Jess here is applying for the job you advertised. Seeing as how she can't get up the stairs for the interview, we brought you down here to see her." Vince beamed at her. She looked at Jess, to Vince.

"Are you serious Jess?" Asked Michelle.

"I have no job anymore, and I like the idea of what your job entails. Plus I'm guaranteed a ride to work every day here with Chase, and I'll be with understanding friends, and a safe work environment. Please Michelle, I want this job." Michelle motioned for Chase to get out of the chair, and sat next to Jess. Chase stood back with Vince.

"What do we do if she gets the job? We can't exactly carry her up the stairs every day." Vince grinned.

"We've got some funding left over, and headquarters needs a bit of a revamp. We'll write it off as renovating and upgrading." Chase nodded, and slapped Vince on the back.

"Let me know when they're done, I've got paperwork to finish."

* * *

Lara sat upstairs in the office, rubbing her belly absent-mindedly. Dean appeared behind her, and dug his hands into her shoulders. She sighed in bliss, feeling his fingers work out the knots in her shoulders. She put her hand on his, and pulled him around to face her. She drew him in closer, and kissed him. He smiled as she pulled back.

"What was that for?" He asked. She grinned back at him.

"For a wonderful night out." He leant in for another kiss, and ran a hand across her abdomen. She grabbed his hand.

"Not here Dean. Not now." He sighed, and moved back to his chair. She exhaled, and turned back to her desk work. Michelle came up the stairs, beaming.

"What's go you so happy?" Asked Lara, the mood catching on.

"I've just found my assistant." Lara leant forward.

"Really? Who is it?"

"Jess. She fits the bill perfectly, and with a little upgrade in facilities, she can work here. She'll start in two or three months. The improvements should be finished by then, and my problem is solved." Michelle clapped her hands in happiness, and did a little dance. Lara laughed, and went back to her work. Vince came up the stairs, and heard the commotion.

"I take it you've all heard the news. To celebrate, we're heading out for drinks tonight. Spread the word!"

They sat together, like old times, at the local pub. They had a whole table to themselves, cordoned off thanks to Vince and his friendship with the bar owner. They talked about the baby, life in Rescue, and some of the crazy things people had done in past rescues. After a while, the laughter died down, and Chase saw his opportunity.

"Jess, I have something to ask you." The table became hushed. Chase fumbled in his pocket, and pulled out a white box. Jess gasped. He got down on one knee in front of her.

"Jessica Turner, we've been through so much together in the past months, and I can't imagine my life without you anymore. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" She looked at him, shock on her face. She didn't say anything, and Chase became concerned. Heidi spoke.

"Jess, say something!" She hissed. Jess shook herself out of it, and smiled.

"Chase, I would love to do you the honour of becoming your wife. I can't imagine what I would do without you in my life." She leant forward and kissed him. The team cheered from around the table.

"About time Chasie-boy," said Lachie, slapping him on the back. Lara and Dean smiled, and she leant over to whisper in his ear.

"I think it's time I went home." He nodded and excused themselves from the table. He wrapped an arm around her back, and led her out to the car. A note sat on the windscreen.

"Again? What is with this person? Why don't they get a hint?" Asked Lara angrily.

Shh, don't worry about it." He opened the door for her, and while she was getting in, pulled the note from under the wiper.

_You'll never learn Dean. I'm back, and I'm going to show you what you could have had with me._

He crumpled the note, and drop-kicked it into the bushes, and climbed into the driver's seat. He turned on the ignition, and pulled out of the carpark.

* * *

_She stepped out of the shadows and scowled. She wasn't being clear enough. Her time would come. She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and walked away… Her time would come…_


	11. 4-11: Growing

_4-11: Growing_

* * *

"You'll need to choose your flowers by the end of this week, and you need to have your dress finalised." The wedding planner slid invite ideas across the table, and pointed to each.

"These are your choices for invites. You need to pick which one you want so we can get them off to the printers." Heidi sighed, and looked over them with Jordan. It was going to be a long day. They looked at flower arrangements, churches, food menus. The list went on.

After four hours, the planner finally left. Heidi cracked her knuckles, feeling tight and tense. Jordan kneaded his fingers into her back, working the knots out, and she sighed.

"How am I going to get this organised?" Asked Heidi, concerned. He kissed her neck.

"It'll be ok. She's just trying to help us." She pulled his hands back, and he sat down.

"I know that babe, but it's just so much to do. Maybe I need to take some time off from work." He kissed her again.

"Don't do that just yet. Go shopping after work, take one of the girls with you to help you choose. Pick whatever you want, as long as it makes you happy." She stood up, and hugged Jordan tightly, and kissed him.

"Thanks babe."

* * *

Lara sat in the office, reclining gently in her chair. She was almost to the point of being uncomfortable now, and resting this way was the best. She closed her eyes, enjoying the peace and quiet, until Vince thundered his way up the stairs.

"Team, we've got a p-plater accident, two drivers, several passengers, and a pedestrian. It's big job. I've rung Jordan and Heidi, and they'll meet you there." Lara opened up her eyes and sat up in her chair, getting back to the pile of paperwork on her desk. Dean kissed her on the cheek as he dashed out the door. Chase met him at the door, and then got in the patrol with him. Kate jumped in with Lachie. They sped towards the accident scene, sirens shrieking. They skidded to a halt at the scene, and climbed out. Kate looked over at the accident, and stopped, glancing at the number plates.

"AWA 68J… That's Bethany's car!" She ran over to the car, and Lachie grabbed her around the middle, stopping her in her tracks.

"Kate, we need you to get the equipment out. We'll get to Bethany in time." She nodded, and tried to compose herself. She squared her shoulders and went back to the patrol, pulling medi-kits out, and the combi-tools. Heidi and Jordan glanced over at her, and then at Lachie.

"What's up with her?" Whispered Heidi.

"Her best friend's car is over there." She nodded, understanding.

"We need to get her out." They team mobilised, working in tandem with fire crews and ambulance rescue. The first driver, a Peter Jenkins, was pulled out and put on a spine board, and carted away in the ambulance. Kate kept anxiously looking over at Bethany's smashed up vehicle, wanting to go and help her, but knowing she was needed with her patient. She was stuck with one of the passengers.

"Sir, can you tell me what happened?" Her patient struggled for air.

"The car just swerved into the oncoming traffic. Everything just became a mess," he rasped. Kate attached the oxygen mask to his face.

"Just breathe sir, we'll get you out of here." Chase came over with the combi-tool, and Heidi and Jordan brought over a spine board. Together, Chase lifted the pole, and the three of them slid the spine board under the man, and slid him out. Tears slid down his cheeks as he breathed in his first decent breath. One of the ambulance crews came over, and they lifted him onto a gurney, and transferred him into the ambulance.

"Can we get to Bethany now?" Asked Kate impatiently. Lachie nodded.

"The other teams can deal with the last two passengers." Kate and Lachie trod carefully as they moved over to Bethany's car. Bethany's head was against the window, and blood trickled down the glass. Lachie moved around to the passenger side, and cracked the window open. He tried to wrench the door open, and failed.

"Kate, grab me a combi-tool." She sprinted over to the patrol and pulled out the other one, and dragged it over to Lachie. He wedged it in between the body of the car and the door, and turned it on. The metal squealed as it separated from the body, and the door popped open. Kate wriggled herself into the car, and checked her vitals.

"I've got a pulse. It's weak, but it's there." Lachie passed her a cervical collar, and she carefully strapped it around Bethany's neck. She stuck her head out.

"How are we going to get her out of here?" She asked. He looked at the car.

"Can you move her off the window, stem the bleeding? I'll open the door using the combi-tool." She nodded, and twisted back inside. She lifted Bethany's head carefully, and pulled a gauze pad out of her kit, pressing it to the head wound. Lachie strained, and the door burst open. He pulled it away, and brought the heart monitor and oxygen over. Kate cautiously pulled the oxygen mask over Bethany's face, and clipped the monitor on.

"Just let me get a spine board, and we'll get her out." Kate nodded. Bethany's face had an array of cuts across it, and her head wound looked quite severe. Lachie re-appeared, spine board in hand. Chase joined them to help get Bethany out.

"Okay Chase, on three. 1. 2. 3!" They transferred Bethany on to the spine board, and the monitors went haywire. They lowered her to the ground, and the three of them swarmed over her body.

"Her hearts stopped!" Chase sprinted for the patrol, and pulled out the defibrillator, running back to Kate and Lachie. He passed it to Lachie, who ripped open Bethany's shirt, and stuck the pads to her chest.

"Clear!" He called. Kate pressed the button, and Bethany's chest jumped. Her body relaxed on the ground.

"Still no pulse. Go again." Kate waited, and then pressed the button again. Bethany's body rippled as the pulsation coursed through her body. Chase checked her monitor.

"She's back!" He called. Kate heaved a sigh of relief, and rested back on her haunches. The ambulance officers came over, and loaded Bethany into the back of their ambulance.

"Can I go with her?" Asked Kate. Lachie nodded.

"Go, we'll pack up here. Keep us updated about Beth." She bobbed, and climbed into the back of the ambulance. One ambo got in the back, and the other got into the driver's seat. They pulled away from the accident scene, and sped away. Kate held onto Bethany's hand. She still hadn't regained consciousness. The ambo hooked up an IV drip , inserting it in her arm. The ride seemed to take forever for Kate, even though she knew the hospital was only a short distance away. They arrived to a flurry of doctors and nurses, who swept Bethany away, leaving Kate to watch her disappear. She leant against the wall, and slid down, tears clouding her vision. She put her head on her knees, and let the tears fall faster. That was where Vince found her almost an hour later.

"Kate? Kate!" He ran to her, and crouched down next to her. She looked at him, face red, eyes puffy. He opened his arms, and Kate fell into them. He held her, falling back against the wall himself. Nurses and doctors walked past, looking, but not doing anything. He stroked her hair.

"Have they told you anything?" He asked quietly. She shook her head.

"No, not yet," she sniffled. A doctor approached them, clipboard in hand.

"Did you come in with Bethany Williams?" Kate nodded, climbing to her feet.

"She's in a critical condition at the moment, stable, but critical. We've induced a coma to let the brain swelling go down, and to try and let her body heal and recover." Kate gripped Vince's hand.

"Can I see her?" The doctor nodded, and led them up to Bethany's room. He opened the door for them, and Kate went inside. The sight of her best friend hooked up to tubes and monitors, was too much for Kate, and she turned to Vince, crying on his shoulder. He just held her.

"Come on, I'll take you home."

* * *

Chase lay on the bed, Jess by his side. She kissed him, and he responded, without the enthusiasm. She stopped, and looked up at him.

"What's on your mind?" She asked.

"Just a difficult rescue today." She kissed his chest.

"What do you mean by difficult?" He sighed.

"Not really my difficult rescue, more that Kate's best friend was involved today, and she was in a pretty severe condition." She nodded, and snuggled up into his arms.

"That's okay. I hope that Kate's friend is alright." He kissed the top of her head.

"What did I do to deserve a girl as wonderful as you?" She smiled, and tilted her head back. Chase's lips met with hers, and the room became warm. She smiled as he rolled over, closer to her.

"Yes?"

* * *

Dean sat with Lara in her apartment. She wanted company, and he'd offered to drive her home. She didn't really fit behind the wheel anymore. She lay on the couch, pillows behind her back, feet on Dean's lap. They watched a movie together, enjoying the time they were spending together. In the middle of the movie, Lara's phone rang. Dean reached across to the coffee table, and handed it to her.

"Hello?" She answered.

"You haven't learnt, have you? You're still with Dean. He's going to break your heart, just like he did mine. Leave him be, or I'll make sure you don't survive. Or maybe your precious little baby won't make it." The line went dead Lara dropped the phone on the floor. Dean looked at her.

"What is it?" He asked, worried.

"It's them. They're threatening the life of the baby Dean if I don't leave you. I think they're watching us, they know what we're doing!" Her voice was frantic.

"Shh, Lara, calm down. They haven't really done anything yet, it's alright." She shook her head.

"They already graffitied my car, sent me threatening notes almost every week, and have made my life a living hell." He smoothed back the hair on her forehead, and kissed her.

"It'll be ok. I promise."

* * *

Kate was asleep on the lounge. She refused to go to her own bed whilst Bethany was in the hospital. Vince reclined in one of the armchairs, dozing. He didn't want Kate to be on her own tonight. A ringing sound awoke him from his slumber. He staggered from his chair, reaching for the phone.

"Hello?" He said blearily.

"Mr Marchello? You said you'd like us to keep you updated on a Miss Bethany Williams?"

"Yes, please."

"I'm sorry sir, but she's been moved onto life support. Her injuries are too great, and her heart stopped earlier tonight, and we were unable to restart it. She also suffered severe brain damage from the accident. We've put her on life support so her family and friends can say their goodbyes. Her family ask that a Miss Kate Marchello was notified. Could you pass on the message?" Vince could feel his heart breaking.

"Yes, of course. Thank you." He hung up the phone, and walked into the loungeroom. He crouched down next to the couch, and gently shook Kate.

"Kate?" Kate sat up groggily. Vince was sitting on the floor in front of her, trying to keep it all together.

"What's wrong Dad?" She asked. She swung her legs down to the floor. He couldn't speak, and she got down to his level. He knew how hard this would be for Kate to take on, and he wished he didn't have to be the one to tell her.

"It's Bethany," he struggled to say. She dropped to the floor.

"What about Bethany?" She whispered, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Her body couldn't take it. She suffered a heart incident, and they couldn't restart her heart. She's been put on life support, so her parents can say goodbye. They've asked if you would like to come in as well." Kate was silent, no emotions showing. Vince looked at her. She spoke in a monotonous voice.

"Can we go?" He nodded. She got to her feet mechanically, and walked to her room. She pulled out a shirt and jeans, and then sat on the bed. She let the flood of tears fall down her cheeks, splashing onto her blankets. Her best friend was gone, never to return. Kate wanted things to go back to yesterday, when Bethany was still here. Vince heard her sobs, and ran up to her room. He flung open her door, and she didn't even glance at him. He crossed her room, and sat on the bed, wrapping his arms around her. He felt his own tears slide down his cheeks. Kate had been friends with Bethany since they were four, and entered kindergarten together. They'd been inseparable ever since, often mistaken for sisters by how close they were. He knew how hard this would be for Bethany's parents, but also knew this would be a huge challenge for Kate to overcome. She sniffled, and pulled back from him.

"I need to get dressed." He nodded, and left the room. Kate pulled on her clothes, and walked down stairs, climbing into Vince's car. He was waiting for her engine idling. They drove to the hospital in silence. When they arrived, Bethany's older brother Grahame met her in the carpark. His own face was tearstained, and he broke down when he saw Kate. She let herself become enfolded in his arms, as her own tears fell. Vince watched on, feeling the intense pain that was happening for this family. He followed Kate and Grahame up to Bethany's room. The curtains had been drawn around the bed, the ventilator and heart machine the only thing keeping her remotely alive. A nurse waited in the room, ready to turn off the machines when they were ready. Kate crossed over to Bethany's bed and took her hand. Bethany's parents, Hannah and Tim Williams, stood to the side. They'd already said their goodbyes. Kate smoothed Bethany's hair off her face.

"Hey Beth. I know you can't hear me, but thanks for the best times of my life. You were my best friend through thick and thin, through the boyfriend break-ups and boy bands. I don't know what I would have done without a friend like you. I'm so sorry that I haven't been around as much this year. I know we promised we'd spend more time together after the HSC, and I'm so sorry I broke that promise." Kate sobbed once, but managed to keep her composure.

"I'm sorry about all the fights we ever had, that I broke your Barbie doll when we were six, that I didn't speak to you for almost three months in Year Seven over a boy. I'm going to miss swapping clothes with you, surfing, sharing secrets with you." She broke down. Hannah was embraced by Tim as her tears fell faster.

"I can't do this without you Beth. I wish things didn't end this way. Beth," sobbed Kate. Vince laid his hand on her shoulder, and Kate stood up and hugged her father. Tim nodded to the nurse, and she turned off the machines. The room became silent, excepting the crying from Hannah and Kate. Vince rubbed Kate's back, trying to calm her down.

"Why Dad? Why did it happen to her and not me? I was the one a few weeks ago who was putting her life on the line, and yet I'm the one alive. How is this fair?" She asked.

"It never is Kate. I don't know why Bethany died, yet you're still here. I honestly don't know why Kate." She cried harder. Vince could feel his shirt becoming damp, but he didn't care. His little girl was in pain, and this was one time in her life that he couldn't just wash away the hurt, and he wasn't sure who felt more pain. Grahame came over to them.

"Thank you for coming," he said, his voice husky. He wiped his eyes, tears still falling. Hannah came over, and pulled Kate into her arms.

"You were always her best friend. You always spent time with her, and I know you think you didn't spend enough with her, but she loved spending whatever time she could get with you. Thank you." Kate's tears fell faster. Tim pulled Hannah away, and hugged Kate for himself. His grief was so great that he had nothing to say to her. He just held her as his tears fell. Kate pulled away, and wiped her eyes. She looked at Vince, and motioned towards the door. He got the hint and turned towards the door. He wrapped an arm around Kate, and led her out. She lost all control as she walked out of the door, and started to weep loudly. Vince stopped, and held her, unsure of what to do.

"Kate, I'm so sorry."

* * *

 

The next few days went by in a blur for Kate. Bethany's funeral was organised, and she attended, not that she could tell anyone about it. She sat in her room each day, looking blankly at the ceiling. She felt paralysed by the pain and grief in her heart, unable to do anything. After almost three days of going about life like an automaton, Vince was starting to become concerned. She sat at her desk at Rescue HQ, staring blankly. Vince sat in Michelle's office, concerned.

"What am I going to do for her?" He asked.

"Just be there for her Vince. Maybe let Heidi take her out for the day, she needs someone to help her pick a wedding dress. Maybe Kate could help?" Suggested Michelle.

"I just don't know what to do to help her." Michelle put her hand across the desk, and touched Vince's arm.

"She's growing up Vince. She's trying to assert herself in the world, and she's not really sure what she's doing. You can't always be there for her Vince, to fix the hurt and the pain. You can be there to help her heal, but you can't protect her anymore. She's an adult now Vince." Her voice was full of compassion for Vince. He nodded, and got up from the chair.

"I'll ask Heidi if she can take Kate out for a little while."

* * *

Lara was lying on the couch when she felt the first twinge. She rubbed her belly, scolding the baby. Ten minutes later, the twinge returned. She sat up, and reached for her phone. She dialled Dean. He answered on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Dean, I think it's time," she said, panic in her voice.

"Okay, stay calm, I'll be there in five minutes." He snapped his phone shut, and hurriedly packed his things away. Michelle stuck her head out the door.

"You alright there Dean?" She asked.

"Lara's in labour. I've got to go," he said breathlessly. Michelle gasped, and grabbed her handbag.

"I'm coming with you," she said, running down the stairs behind him. She climbed into his car, Dean hot on her heels. He revved the engine and skidded out of the driveway, speeding towards Lara's apartment. They arrived in almost five minutes flat. Dean stayed with the car, leaving the engine running, while Michelle bolted for the lift. She jabbed the button repeatedly, willing it to go faster. She made it to Lara's floor, and knocked on her door. Lara opened it, overnight bag in hand.

"Come on, let's get you to the hospital."

* * *

Dean paced the corridor, wringing his hands. Heidi and Jordan arrived twenty minutes later.

"How's she going?" Heidi asked.

"I don't know, they're not telling me anything." The door opened and Michelle and Lara came out. Lara looked sheepish, and was quite red in the face.

"What's going on?" Asked Jordan.

"False labour," answered Michelle. Dean wrapped his arms around Lara, and kissed her forehead.

"At least it's not time yet. I don't think I'm ready." She smiled up at him.

"You're not ready? I'm the one who has to give birth to the baby!" He laughed, and walked out of the hospital with her.

"Thanks for coming with me Michelle. I'm sorry that it wasn't time yet." Michelle rubbed her back.

"That's alright Lara. I was like this when I was pregnant with James. I couldn't tell the difference between Braxton-Hicks contractions and the real thing. Poor Ian was up almost every night for a week when I would wake him up and tell him it was time. When it really was labour, Ian took his time. We only just made it to the hospital in time for James to be born there, and not in the backseat of Ian's car." Lara laughed.

"My baby will not be born in the back of a car, you hear Dean?" He snickered.

"You okay with the side of the road?" She smacked him across the back of the head.

"In the hospital, okay? No joke, I will come and you will face the wrath of an angry woman if my baby is born anywhere else other than a hospital."

"Better watch out Dean, she's got it out for you," laughed Jordan. Heidi started chasing him down the carpark.

"See you guys tomorrow!" She called back, laughing. Michelle turned to Dean.

"Can you drop me back at HQ so I can get my car?" He nodded.

"Just let us drop Lara home first."

* * *

Vince was cleaning the kitchen. Heidi had dropped Kate back home after Dean had called to say Lara was in labour. He packed away the dishes, the silence in the house almost overwhelming. He packed away the leftovers, tucking them into the fridge. He chuckled at himself as he realised he was never this neat when he was still with Vanessa. He chucked the tea towel on the bench, and admired his handiwork. He sat himself down on the lounge to watch the news, and catch up with some TV time. He had only just heard the headlines when a thump sounded from upstairs. He sat up.

"Kate?" He called. No reply. He walked slowly up the stairs, taking them one at a time.

"Kate? Are you alright?" Still no answer. He checked the bathroom. It was empty. The door to her bedroom was ajar. That was odd, as Kate kept it closed, whether she was in there or not. He pushed it open, and found Kate's body face-down on the floor.

"Kate!" He dropped to his knees next to her, and rolled her over. An empty bottle of pills rolled away from her, the lid off. He checked her vitals. She had a pulse, but wasn't breathing. He swore under his breath, and fumbled for his phone. He dialled triple zero with shaky fingers.

"Fire, ambulance or police?" The voice asked.

"Ambulance. My daughter's overdosed, I need help, please!"

* * *

 

The ambos bundled Kate into the back of the ambulance. Vince sat beside her, feeling like it was taking an eternity to get to the hospital. He couldn't understand why she didn't talk to anybody about how she was feeling. When the ambos arrived, Vince was still trying to get her to breathe. The officers took over, transferring her to the gurney, and practically materializing downstairs. They drove to the hospital at breakneck speeds, running red lights, sirens and lights alerting everybody to their presence. Vince could feel his heart pounding as they pulled into the emergency bay. Nurses met them at the door, and pushed Vince aside as they forced tubes down Kate's throat. They wheeled her away, leaving Vince to watch her go. He pulled out his phone, and dialled Heidi. She answered, slightly breathless.

"What's up Vince?" She asked.

"It's Kate," he answered numbly. He heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end of line.

"What happened Vince?" She asked, almost afraid to know.

"She's overdosed Heidi. I don't know what to do. Did she talk to you, or say anything?" He asked.

"No, she didn't really. She was just really quiet the whole time we were out." He sobbed a little, trying to hold in the stress and anxiety. Heidi didn't miss it.

"Vince, I'll be there in ten minutes." He closed his phone, and held back tears. A nurse came and sat next to him.

"Mr Marchello?" She asked. He nodded.

"We've got your daughter breathing again, and we're trying to clear the medication form her system. She's still unconscious at the moment; is there anyone we can ring for you?" He shook his head. She patted his arm, and walked away. Vince felt like he was alone. He leant back in his chair, trying to keep the flood of emotions in check. A few minutes later, Heidi and Jordan came in. Heidi, usually reasonably tidy, looked a little unkempt and wild.

"How is she Vince?" Asked Jordan.

"She's still not woken up. They got her breathing though." Heidi sat down in the chair next to Vince, and hugged him. He finally let the torrent of tears fall. Heidi just held him, feeling slightly awkward. After a while, he drew back, his face red and puffy. He wiped his face on his sleeve, and released Heidi. She sat back.

"Will you be alright?" She asked quietly.

"No. I still have to ring Vanessa, and that's not going to end well." Heidi glanced up at Jordan, who nodded.

"Call her, and we'll stay while she's here." He gave them a shaky smile.

"Thank you."

The call to Vanessa was brief, just the bare facts. Heidi and Jordan waited with Vince. It was getting late, and Jordan sat back in his chair, dozing. Heidi looked at the floor blankly. Vince watched the nurses as they bustled past, dealing with patients.

"What the hell did you do?" Jordan sat up, wide awake. Vanessa stormed into the room.

"I knew you were never good enough to look after her. And yet I still let her stay there! How could you let her do that?" Vince stood up, enraged.

"Don't you dare blame me. She's an adult now, she can do what she chooses. She's dealing with the death of her best friend Vanessa. Her best friend! Can you imagine what would happen if your friend Mary died? She hasn't really had to deal with this before, and now that she's had to, this is what happened. I have nothing to do with it!" She looked at him sternly, and pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that! She's your daughter!"

"She's your daughter too! You have a say in this! All you ever want to do is criticize me about how I'm raising our daughter, yet I haven't seen you do a thing. You need to take an interest in her occasionally. Talk to her, instead of yelling at me every time something happens." He threw his hands in the air, and stormed back to his chair. Vanessa looked taken aback, and walked away from him, shaking her head. Vince sat back down, as a nurse came out of Kate's room.

"She's awake. You can see her, but only family at the moment." Vince walked forward, and then looked back at Heidi and Jordan.

"You guys are family too."

* * *

They entered the room quietly, almost tip-toeing inside. As they came in, Kate turned her face to look at them. Tears rolled down her cheeks, falling silently on the pillow. Vince rushed forward, and bundled her up in his arms. Their tears mingled together, ones of pain and fear. Heidi came over and sat on the end of Kate's bed, and rested a hand on her leg. Jordan hung back. He wasn't as close to Kate as Heidi was, but came to support both.

"Don't do that again Kate. Come and talk to me if you need to." She nodded, beyond speech now. Heidi switched places with Vince, and wrapped her arms around Kate. Kate cried harder. She missed her mum actually being around for, and since Bethany had died, Hannah and Tim had become distant from Kate. She felt like she's lost a whole family, not just a best friend, and the whole it left in her heart was as wide as a gaping chasm. She felt so sad and alone. Heidi held her as she cried, stroking her hair.

"Oh Kate. Why didn't you come talk to me? You're like a little sister to me, I'll always have time for you, no matter what." Kate nodded into Heidi's shoulder. After a little while, Heidi released her, and she lay back down on the bed, exhaustion starting to take its toll. Heidi and Jordan exited the room quietly, waving goodbye to Vince. Jordan wrapped his arm around Heidi's shoulder, and kissed her forehead.

"Promise me, if we ever have kids, that we won't turn into Vince and Vanessa."

* * *

 

A week later, Kate was released from the hospital. Heidi picked her up after she was discharged, and took her for coffee before she would have to face Michelle. They sat drinking their latte's in silence.

"Why didn't you tell us what was going on Kate?" Asked Heidi, stirring the hot drink. Kate looked down at the table.

"I didn't think anybody cared." She wiped a tear away before it fell on the table. Heidi reached across and took Kate's hand.

"Kate, we do care. I feel like you're my little sister, and the fact that you didn't come to any of us to tell us how you were feeling makes me a little sad. You can come and talk to me anytime Kate, no matter what it's about." Kate nodded, and smiled at Heidi.

"Thanks." Heidi dusted herself off as she stood up.

"Come on. You've got a meeting with Michelle in fifteen minutes." Kate scrunched up her face, and walked to the patrol with Heidi. The ride back to headquarters was silent, tension in the air. Kate was nervous about what Michelle was going to say. After they arrived at HQ Heidi gave Kate a hug.

"You'll be ok," she whispered. Kate nodded and walked upstairs, every step bringing her closer to her fate. Michelle waited in her office patiently, sorting files. She looked up when Kate entered.

"Kate! Sit down, make yourself comfortable." Kate could feel the nervous nausea churning in her stomach. Michelle put the files down, and moved them to the side.

"Vince told me what happened. How are you?" She asked.

"I've been better, but I'll make it." Michelle nodded.

"Well, as an exception to the rules, I'm letting you stay on the teams, as we can't really afford to lose another team member. I do ask that you attend weekly psychologist appointments, though." Kate nodded.

"You mean I can stay?" Michelle nodded, smiling. Kate beamed.

"We need you to stay. With Lara not here, we need the teams to be complete, and if I take you off, I'm short a team. If this happens again though, I won't be able to be so lenient. You need to talk to us if something's happening for you so we can help you. Okay?" Kate nodded. Michelle waved her out of the office.

"Go on, get out of here. I have paperwork to finish." Kate practically skipped out of the office. Heidi met her outside.

"How did it go?"

"Michelle said I can stay and keep working, but I need to attend the psychologist for the next few weeks." Heidi hugged her.

"Congrats. Hey, Lara just rang asking if we could go over and say hi. She's feeling a little lonely at home. Do you want to come?" Kate nodded.

"Sure."

* * *

Lara opened the door.

"Hey guys. Thanks for coming over." She waddled back to the couch, and eased her heavy body down. Heidi went straight into the kitchen, and flipped on the kettle.

"Do you want tea Lara?" She called.

"Please Heidi. Thank you." She shifted her body as Kate sat on the couch.

"So how are you?" She asked. Kate shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm alright. A little numb still. Everything seems so surreal, and then I see something that reminds me of her, and then the tears start. Just when I think I've got it together, I lose it again." Lara put a hand on Kate's arm.

"That's how I felt when my dad and my aunt died. I thought I had it together, and then I find myself sitting on my bed, crying my eyes out as something small reminded me of them. I had to pull myself together though for this baby. I still miss them, and I always will, but I've got to keep moving forward. It's okay to be sad though," said Lara. Kate sniffled a little, and pulled a tissue out of the box on Lara's coffee table. Heidi brought over tea, and set it down carefully. She pulled a chair into the loungeroom, and they sat together, enjoying Lara's company.

After almost two hours at Lara's place, the girls were interrupted by a knock on the door. Heidi answered the door to find Dean standing in the doorway.

"Hey, mind if I come in?" Heidi opened the door further, and let him inside. She looked over at Kate.

"Hey Lara, we might head off now. Got work in the morning." Lara waved them out the door, and Dean closed it.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked. He shrugged.

"Just wanted to see you." He kissed her forehead.

"I ordered pizza for dinner. Should be here…" He looked at his watch just as a knock sounded at the door. Lara smiled, as Dean opened the door. He handled the pizza, and passed the delivery man some money. He closed the door and placed the pizza on the coffee table. Lara almost clapped her hands with glee as she looked at her favourite pizza, and then pulled a slice out. Dean just watched her, loving the fact that she was so happy. Soon she'd be flat out with the baby, and nights like this would become a dream, He sat on the lounge next to her, enjoying the meal. A knock on the door disturbed them. Lara looked at Dean.

"Who is that?" He shrugged his shoulders, and got up. He opened the door. Nobody was there. He stuck his head outside. There was only a woman walking away, her blonde hair flowing behind her. He couldn't see anybody else. He went to close the door, and kicked an envelope. He picked it up. Lara's name was scribbled on the front. He opened it.

_Your time is up Lara. I thought you would have learnt by now, but obviously not. Watch your back. You never know when I'll be behind you._

Dean crumpled up the letter, throwing it in the bin when he got inside. Lara looked up at him as he sat on the couch next to her.

"Who was that? And what did they want?" She asked. Dean kissed her on the forehead, and grabbed a slice of pizza.

"Nothing."

* * *

_She watched the apartment block, eyes trained on Lara's lit window. Now was the time she would change everything, and get Dean back for herself, even if it killed her..._


	12. 4-12/13: Relief/A New...

_4-12/13: Relief and A New_

* * *

"Alright team, we've had a ferry crash at Circular Quay. We've got patients in the water, one under the dock, and several panicked people who are trapped inside the crumpled boat. Make sure you've got your water gear, and get there quickly! You know your teams." He pointed at Lachie as everyone scrambled around him.

"You watch her." He nodded, and dashed down the stairs. The patrols filed out of the building, speeding towards the city. When they arrived it was almost complete chaos, with people and media everywhere. Dean climbed out of his patrol, slamming the door. The spokespeople swarmed Dean, shoving microphones in his face. He angrily waved them away, and pulled his radio off his chest.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Base, Michelle, we need you down here. The media crews are not making it easy to do our jobs."

"Alright Dean. Vince and I will be down there to co-ordinate and run interference with the crews." Dean hooked his radio back onto his shoulder, and went to the back of the patrol.

"Kate, Lachie, you two in the water. The rest of us will deal with the patients on land, and the ones you bring back to us. Everyone okay with that?" They nodded. Kate and Lachie stripped down to their water suits, and climbed in to the frigid waters. Kate shivered slightly as she slipped down.

"You right?" Asked Lachie. She nodded, and struck out, heading for the first person she could get to. Lachie swam after her, and they reached their first patient at the same time. He was unconscious, and it took the pair of them to drag his limp body to the shore, where Heidi and Jordan pulled him out of the water. The ambo's arrived, lights flashing, as they took over patients on land. Kate and Lachie continued in this pattern, whilst Dean and Chase worked on the two patients they had on land. One was trapped under the collapsed awning, a beam crushing his chest. Dean and Chase worked feverishly to get him out.

"Please," he gasped. "I need to get out."

"It's alright sir, we're working on it." With the help of a few firies, they lifted the beam off the gentleman's chest, and moved it to the side. They transferred him to a stretcher, and the ambulance crews took over, taking him to the hospital. Deans radio crackled.

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Portable One, Dean, we need help in the water. An extra pair of hands would be appreciated right now, two if you can spare them." Dean sighed. Whoever reported the incident to Vince underestimated the severity of it.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Six, Lachie, Chase and myself will come and help. We'll leave Heidi and Jordan on the dock, they can help lift patients, and liaise with the ambo's."

"Copy that Dean. See you in the water." Dean grabbed Chase on his way past.

"Strip down, we're needed in the water," he said breathlessly

"Okay," said Chase, following him to the water. They dumped their rescue uniforms on the side, and dove into the freezing water. They swam out to Lachie and Kate.

"What's up guys?" Dean asked as he got closer.

"We just need someone to help keep one of our patients afloat. He's a little on the heavier side, and it takes two people to keep him afloat." Dean nodded, and both Chase and himself moved around so they were supporting him. He was caught on one of the mooring lines for the boat, and Lachie dove down to try and untangle it. After several tries, he resurfaced, spluttering a little.

"You alright?" Asked Chase, concerned. Lachie nodded his head.

"I'm fine, I can't get him untangled though. I need smaller fingers." They all looked at Kate.

"Can you do it?" Asked Dean. She nodded.

"I think so." She took a deep breath, and ducked under the water. She swam towards the man's trapped feet, and pulled at the lines. When they didn't release, she tugged frantically at them. She could feel her lungs screaming for air, but she ignored them. She freed the man's feet, and Chase, Dean and Lachie felt him float up. Chase and Dean pulled the man towards the dock, and Heidi and Jordan pulled him up. Chase climbed up on the dock, and tried off. Lachie waited for Kate to surface. When she didn't, he dove down. She was just floating. He pulled her to the surface.

"Dean! I need help!" Dean powered through the water back to Lachie.

"She's not breathing, help me get her back." Dean took her under one arm, and Lachie took her under the other. They got her back to the dock.

"What happened?" Asked Heidi. She leant down and lifted Kate up, Jordan helping her.

"She stayed down too long." They laid her down on the dock. Chase sprinted to the command centre, and grabbed Vince. Heidi and Jordan checked Kate over.

"She's still got a pulse!" Called Heidi. She pressed down on Kate's chest. After two compressions, Kate spluttered, choking on the water in her lungs.

"Roll her into recovery," instructed Dean, drying himself off. Jordan and Heidi pushed her over, and Heidi supported Kate as she threw up litres of water. Heidi rubbed Kate's back, and Jordan passed her an oxygen mask. Heidi gently put it over Kate's head, and she sucked in the oxygen.

"I'm fine," she rasped. She sat up, head lowered as she breathed.

"Kate, I think you should go to hospital." She shook her head.

"No, I'm fine." She insisted. She pulled off the oxygen mask, and handed back to Jordan. He looked at her sceptically, but packed it away anyway. She stood up, shaky on her legs, and a little breathless.

"Can we go now?"

* * *

Lara was sleeping on the couch. At almost full term now, she felt like a beached whale propped up on a lounge. The TV was on in the background, and she awoke to a backache. Nothing severe, but it was nagging. She got up and walked around a little, trying to relieve it. After a little while, it loosened up, and she relaxed. She sat back in the chair, and put her feet up on the coffee table, trying to get comfortable. Twenty minutes later, a definite contraction coursed through her body. She groaned.

"Please, not now." Lara breathed through the contraction, struggling to keep herself calm. After it had finished, she walked into her room, and picked up her mobile. She fumbled with the buttons, trying to turn it on. When that failed, she checked the back of it. The battery had been removed. She threw it on the bed, frustrated, and headed to the kitchen, where the house phone was. She picked it up, and dialled Dean's number. The phone line was dead, silent. She dropped it on the bench as another contraction rippled through her. She gritted her teeth, trying to control it. She knew she couldn't, but she wanted it to stop. A tear rolled down her cheek. Someone had cut all her lifelines, and she felt so alone.

* * *

The teams packed up the site, shoving gear into bags.

"Hey, has anyone heard from Lara today? She's usually checked in by now," said Dean as he tossed a medi-kit in the back of the patrol. Michelle shook her head.

"I haven't, but she's probably asleep. Catching up now before the baby keeps her up every night!" The team laughed, and once they'd finished, Michelle and Vince left for HQ. Kate stopped for a moment in the midst of everything, trying to take a decent breath. She couldn't quite do it, and tried again. Lachie noticed as he packed up, and looked at her, concerned.

"Are you okay Kate?" She shook her head, feeling light-headed and dizzy.

"Oi! Deano, need you over here," called Lachie urgently. He helped Kate sit down in the back of the patrol. Dean came over.

"What's…" He trailed off as he saw Kate's bluish lips, and knew almost immediately that something was wrong. He pulled his stethoscope out, and pressed it to Kate's back. He could hear a rustling sound, an indication of water in the lungs. Lachie pulled an oxygen tank and mask out of his kit, and slipped it over Kate's head. Dean packed up his stethoscope, and leant over to Lachie.

"Lachie, we need to take her to hospital," whispered Dean. Lachie nodded.

"I'll take her over now. Can you let Vince know?" Dean nodded. Lachie helped Kate up. She couldn't stand anymore, and all her effort was going into trying to breathe. Lachie put a hand around her shoulders, and slipped his other arm under her knees. He lifted her easily, and Dean opened the passenger door for Lachie. He slid Kate into the front seat, and buckled her in. Her head lolled to the side. Lachie slammed the door.

"Can you ring RPA and let them know that we're coming?" Dean nodded and pulled out his phone. Lachie sprinted around the patrol, and jumped into the driver's seat. He threw the patrol into gear, and accelerated down the road. He reached a hand across to Kate as they drove.

"Stay with me Kate; don't fall asleep." She nodded, and forced her heavy eyelids open, struggling not to fall asleep. Lachie made it to RPA in record time. He parked the patrol, and got out in a flash. He came around to Kate's side, and lifted her out. He bumped the door closed, and carried her quickly to the Emergency Department. A nurse met him there.

"Are you Lachie Gallagher?" He nodded, and she led him to an examination room.

"Put her there, a doctor will be in shortly." He set her down on the bed, and she flopped unnaturally to the side. She was still breathing, but only just enough. The bluish tinge was spreading across her face. A doctor came in, and practically pushed Lachie out of the room. He met Vince in the hallway, his face flushed with exertion.

"What's going on?"

"She started to struggle for air, and then we went from there. Dean thinks she's got water in her lungs. I brought her straight here." Vince nodded.

"What happened out there today?" He asked.

"She stayed down too long. She was trying to undo the ropes around the guys legs, and then just didn't come back up. I'm sorry Vince, I didn't watch her." Vince shook his head.

"It's not your fault. She's an adult now, and she was just doing her job." Lachie patted Vince on the back.

"I've got to head back to HQ; are you okay here?" Vince nodded.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll ring Michelle later and let her know how Kate's going." Lachie bobbed his head, and left Vince to sit in the hallway. He climbed into the patrol, and headed back to HQ. His radio crackled on his shoulder.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Six; how's she going Lachie?"

"Yeah, got her in probably just in time Deano."

"Nice work. Listen, have you heard from Lara today?" Lachie chuckled to himself.

"Dean, mate, she's probably sleeping or resting. Think yourself lucky that she hasn't rung you in a panic. Leave it go for a while longer, and then if you're really concerned, ring her. Wait til this afternoon though, in case she is sleeping."

"Yeah, ok then."

* * *

Lara breathed through another contraction, this one stronger than the last hour. She desperately wished for someone to be there to help her, but knew that no-one would come. She would have to get out and find help. She walked into the loungeroom, and through to her front door. She turned the handle, and nothing happened. She pushed the knob harder, and the door didn't shift. She was trapped in her own apartment, in labour, and no way of calling for help. She felt a tear roll down her cheek, followed by another. She sat in the loungeroom, unsure of what to do. She couldn't remember any of the birth classes she'd attended, or what to do. Another contraction rippled through her, and her tears of fear and panic fell faster.

"Please Dean. Come and find me." Lara moved around the house, trying to get comfortable. She felt a warm wetness trickling down her legs. Her water had broken. She swore at herself as a contraction tightened her abdomen. She remembered joking with Dean about the baby being born in the back of his car, or on the side of the road. She'd give anything now to be in that position, not trapped inside her own house. She groaned as another contraction hit her. They were closer together now, and stronger. She leaned on the bench for support, and desperately hoped someone in her building would hear her.

* * *

Lachie pulled up at HQ, and Dean and Chase came running down the stairs, and climbed in.

"Drive; we've got a multiple car accident to attend. Heidi and Jordan will look after HQ with Michelle." Lachie reversed out, and sped down the road, Dean directing his every move. They arrived at the scene, and it was crazy. One car had crashed into a telegraph pole, and the result traffic had caused other accidents to occur. The result was a giant messy puzzle of crumpled steel, and trapped people. Dean jumped out of the patrol, and pulled his medi-kit out of the back, tossing Lachie and Chase theirs. They split up, teamed with firies and ambos, to try and get this mess sorted, and get the afternoon traffic moving again. A symphony of honking horns from angry drivers serenaded them as they worked. Dean met his first patient, a p-plater. She'd been caught up in the traffic that had to stop when the first car hit the pole. She had a head injury that didn't look too serious. Dean checked her over.

"Miss, do you know what happened?" He asked, checking the wound.

"Some car up front swerved and hit the telegraph pole. I tried to stop, but just couldn't stop quick enough. I hit someone else. I'm so sorry," she said, distressed.

"You're fine, just a head injury. You should get checked out at the hospital just in case you have a concussion, but you should be right." He tried to pull open her door, but it was jammed shut. A firie brought over a combi-tool, and he shoved it into the body of the car, and flipped the switch. It opened the door like it was made of child's play dough. He passed the tool back to the firie, who took it to another car. Dean helped his patient out, and led her over to an ambulance crew. As he signed off the papers for her transfer, he checked his watch. It was nearly four, and he still hadn't heard from Lara. He had this gut feeling that something was wrong.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Base, Jordan, Heidi, can you two try and get onto Lara for me?"

"Rescue Base, yeah. We'll give it a go mate," answered Jordan. Dean clipped his radio back on, and went back to the accident scene.

Jordan picked up the desk phone, and dialled Lara's number. A beeping sound came through the line, and he looked at the phone, confused. He hung up. Heidi turned around.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I think her phone's been disconnected."

"That's odd; she paid the bill last week. Try her mobile," said Heidi. Jordan picked up the phone again, and punched in Lara's mobile. A bored recording told him that she was unavailable. He put it down, and turned to face Heidi.

"Nothing."

"I think something's wrong." She got up and stuck her head into Michelle's office.

"Jordan and I are heading to Lara's. Are you okay here?" Michelle nodded.

"What's up with Lara?" She asked.

"I'm not sure, but she's not answering either of her phones. Something doesn't feel right." Michelle bobbed her head.

"Go; keep me posted. I'll keep trying to get onto her." Heidi grabbed Jordan's arm, and pulled him down the stairs.

"Where are we going?" He asked as she pushed him into the patrol.

"We're going to Lara's; something doesn't feel right." He nodded, and turned on the ignition. He sped out of the HQ driveway, and headed towards Lara's apartment block. They were there in ten minutes. Heidi and Jordan took the lift up, the elevator music feeling somewhat out of place. The came along to Lara's door. Heidi knocked.

"Lara?" She called. There was no sound from inside. Heidi knocked again.

"Lara, are you there?" She listened carefully, and she could hear panting and groaning. Heidi pulled out her spare key for Lara's apartment, and pushed it in. The door didn't open. Heidi pushed against it, and it still didn't open.

"Jordan, we need to get in there," said Heidi, worry washing over her. Jordan looked at the door, sizing it up, and then shouldered it. It gave way a little. He tried again, and the door exploded inwards. Heidi dashed inside.

"Lara?" Heidi checked the kitchen and the lounge. When she didn't find her, she headed to the bedroom. Lara was laying on the bed, propped up slightly. She was trying to breathe through the contraction, teeth gritted. Heidi sat next to her.

"Breathe Lara; breathe through the contraction." Lara let out the air in her lungs, and huffed her way through the contraction. Jordan walked into the bedroom, and Heidi took charge.

"Can you grab some towels from the bathroom?" He gulped nervously.

"Shouldn't we call an ambulance?" He asked weakly. Heidi shook her head.

"It's too late for that, they won't make it in time. Can you get the towels please?" Jordan left the room, and quickly returned with a small stack of towels. Lara was already in the middle of another contraction.

"Can you grab some ice from the kitchen?" She asked. He nodded and left, glad to be out of there. He walked into the kitchen. As he opened the freezer, someone hit him over the head, and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious. The stranger snickered, and crept through the house, a knife in hand. Heidi set the towels under Lara, keeping some handy. She pulled out her own mobile, and dialled Michelle. She answered on the first ring.

"Did you talk to her?" She asked frantically.

"I'm with her now. Michelle, she's in labour, second stage. It's too late to get to a hospital, can you get here?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving now. I've called Vince, he's coming back in to manage the teams. I'll be there soon." Heidi thanked Michelle, and hung up. Lara grabbed Heidi.

"I need to do it. I need to do it now," she said urgently.

"Jordan! We need you!" No answer. Lara groaned.

"Jordan!" Lara leant forward, another contraction gripping her. When it had ended, Heidi sponged down Lara's sweaty face. She smoothed back her hair.

"I'll go and get the ice cubes myself." Lara nodded, and Heidi left the room. She walked into the kitchen, and tripped over Jordan's feet.

"What the…? Jordan!" She scrambled over to him. He had an egg-shaped lump on his head, and his eyes were closed.

"Babe, what happened?" She asked. He stirred a little, and opened his eyes. He couldn't focus on her properly.

"Hei…" He mumbled. She soothed him.

"Babe, who did this to you?" She asked.

"I did," the woman said, stepping into the room. She brandished a knife at Heidi, who shuffled back on the floor.

"No. Please, don't do it, what would Dean think?" The female sniggered.

"If this is what it takes to get him, I don't think I mind a little bloodshed." She lunged forward, plunging the knife into Heidi's side. Heidi screamed as the cold metal scraped her ribs, the pain shattering her entire being. She gasped, and clutched her hands to her side, trying to stem the blood flow. She heard the front door open, and Lara cried out in pain again. Michelle had finally arrived, and Heidi relaxed a little, knowing that Lara was in safe hands. Michelle rushed through to Lara's room, and tossed her bag to the side.

"Michelle, where's Heidi?" Panted Lara.

"Don't worry about her; she's probably still getting something from the kitchen." Lara nodded, and gritted her teeth.

"Come on Lara, breathe through them."

* * *

Dean was still working on one of his patients. The car had the male trapped by the legs, with severe lacerations on his body. Dean and Chase worked in tandem. Chase had applied dressings to most of the wounds, to protect him from possible infection.

"Chase, can you grab a patient shield from the patrol? We'll use a combi-tool to get him out." Chase nodded and sprinted to the patrol, returning with the shield and a combi-tool. He passed Dean the tool, and slipped the patient shield over the man's body. Dean shoved the tool into the car, and forced the crumpled metal open. After he'd finished, Chase and Dean hoisted the man out, transferring him to ambos. He grabbed his radio as they ran down the road to where Lachie was.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Base, Michelle, have you heard anything from Heidi and Jordan yet?" He asked breathlessly. His radio crackled.

"Rescue Base, Dean they're not here. Something about Lara and the baby?" Said Vince. Dean stopped, his blood running cold. Chase stopped.

"Did she say anything else?"

"Only that she would call and fill me in later. Heidi rang for her first, and was a bit vague on the details, and Michelle just dashed out. Sorry Deano, I don't really have anything else for you." Dean felt frustrated, but knew he had to finish his job.

"Yeah, okay. Thanks Vince." He made it down to Lachie. He was packing up the gear.

"What took you guys so long?" He joked. Dean just glared at him, and tossed some of the gear aside.

"No! Sir, don't go…" A man had walked past the police barricades, and came closer to the fallen power lines. Too close for Chase's liking, as he sprinted towards the man. He tripped before he got there though, and the man didn't hear him. It felt like the world had slowed down as the man brushed the cables, sending hundreds of volts of electricity coursing through his body. He was flung through the air, and landed a few feet away.

"I though the power was off," said Dean as he sprinted towards the man's body. Chase dusted himself off.

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Base, Vince, we need the electricity off," said Lachie as he dashed across, following Dean and Chase. The stumbled over to the man, and Dean checked his vitals. He sat back.

"Nothing." An ambulance crew came over and loaded the dead man onto a stretcher, taking him away. Dean, Chase and Lachie went back to the patrol, packing away their equipment. Dean's radio popped.

"Deano, I still haven't heard anything from Lara, or anyone else. Do you think that you guys could head over and check on her?"

"Yeah Vince, copy that. We'll be over there in about fifteen minutes."

* * *

Lara felt exhausted, her body tired from all the work. The contractions were relentless now, washing over her like waves. Michelle hadn't left her side, encouraging her every step of the way. Lara sat up, panic in her eyes.

"Michelle, I need to push. I have to push!" Lara said breathlessly.

"Just wait for the contraction, and then go for it," Michelle said, her hand held in a death grip by Lara's. Lara felt the contraction swell through her, and bore down. After it had passed, she flopped back on the pillow.

"Good Lara. Only a little bit more, and then you'll be meeting your new baby. You can do this Lara," said Michelle, wiping Lara's forehead. She shook her head.

"I can't do this Michelle, I can't." Michelle smoothed Lara's hair out of her face.

"You can do this Lara, you've been doing great." Lara nodded, and groaned as another contraction washed over her.

"Push Lara, you can do it!" Lara let out a cry, and Michelle checked on her.

"You can see the top of the head, you're almost there Lara." Lara nodded, the tears streaming down her face. She pushed again, harder.

"It's coming, it's coming!" She cried. Michelle smiled, and rubbed Lara's hand.

"You can see the whole head now, one more push and you'll meet your new baby, whoever he or she is." Lara nodded, and felt the next contraction start.

"Come on Lara, push!" Lara gave a final push, and her baby was born. Michelle wrapped the tiny baby in a towel, rubbing it vigorously. Lara flopped back on her dampened pillows, tears of relief spilling down her cheeks. She'd done it, given birth to a baby. She glanced weakly at Michelle.

"What is it? A boy or girl?" Michelle smiled, and handed her the squalling infant.

"You have a little girl Lara." Michelle wiped away her own tears of happiness, as Lara held the tiny infant. Michelle left Lara alone for a minute, whilst she cleaned herself up. A solid object cracked her in the side of the head, and she fell like a tonne of bricks.

"You never learn, do you Michelle," said the woman. She'd been waiting in the bathroom, knowing Michelle would eventually have to come in and clean up. She took the opportunity when it arose. She dragged Michelle behind the door, and bound and gagged her. She walked out into the kitchen, and looked at Heidi. Her face was screwed up in pain, the blood oozing slowly between her fingers. She took shallow breaths. The woman crossed the room, and pulled a syringe out of the medical kit on the bench. She checked it, and pulled a vial out of her pocket. She inserted the syringe into it, and pulled the plunger back, sucking the liquid into the tube.

"What are you doing?" Rasped Heidi.

"Getting rid of my problems so Dean can forget her and come back to me. He should never have left me." She threw the empty container on the floor.

"And now? I have some unfinished business to tend to." She stepped over Heidi, and headed for Lara's bedroom. Lara looked up from the baby girl, to the stranger in her doorway.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, surprised. The woman smiled, and walked forward.

"Just here to right some wrongs. Starting with you." She plunged the syringe into Lara, and depressed it into her. Lara felt the cool liquid enter her veins. The woman took the baby girl, and put her in the wardrobe, closing the door. The baby squalled louder. Lara felt trembly and nauseous.

"What did you do?" She asked shakily. The woman smiled, and sat next to her, and patted her on the leg.

"Just a little insulin to keep you feeling fit and healthy." She smiled menacingly.

"Now I can have Dean back, and you won't be around anymore." She leant forward and whispered in Lara's ear.

"You were always the one he loved. With you out of the picture, he can be mine again."

* * *

Dean floored the patrol.

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Base, any word from them Vince?"

"Rescue Base to rescue Portable Six, nothing Lachie. Are you guys there yet?"

"Not yet Vince, about five minutes away." Vince grabbed his mobile.

"I'm going to send ambulance over to her address. They'll probably meet you there," Vince said, punching in numbers on his phone.

"Yeah, okay Vince." Lachie secured his radio on his shirt, and held on for dear life as Dean wove his way through parked cars and traffic. He skidded to a halt out the front of Lara's apartment block. The other patrol and Michelle's car were parked outside. Dean flung himself out of the patrol, Lachie and Chase close on his heels. He went straight to the lift, jamming the button.

"Come on, hurry up!" He was impatient. The lift doors opened slowly, and the three Gallagher brothers slipped inside. Chase pressed the fourth floor button, and waited for the lift to make its slow ascent. Dean jiggled edgily. They finally made it to Lara's floor, and they pushed open the doors with some force. Dean looked at her door, hanging askew off its hinges.

"Something's not right," said Dean, as he stepped over the threshold.

"Dean?" Came a voice from the kitchen, hoarse sounding. He motioned for the two to follow him. He was met with the sight of Heidi on the floor, holding her side, face contorted in a grimace. Chase dropped down beside her. Lachie had the forethought to bring a medi-kit up, and pulled out several gauze pads, passing them to Chase. Heidi whimpered a little as Chase put pressure on the wound.

"Sorry Heidi-Ho," apologised Chase.

"Is Jordan ok?" She whispered. Lachie moved around Chase, and checked over Jordan. He shifted him away from the puddle of vomit on the floor.

"I think he's got a concussion; it's a pretty solid lump on his head." She nodded, and lay on the floor, submitting to Chase's medical attention. Dean looked over the two of them, and radioed in to Vince.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Base, Vince, we've got Heidi and Jordan. You might need to send over the police as well." Vince looked at his radio, confused.

"Say that again Dean?" He asked.

"Something's not right here. Heidi's been stabbed, and Jordan's got a serious head injury. I've not looked for Lara and Michelle yet."

"Okay Dean, they'll be there shortly. You need to find Lara and Michelle."

"Yeah Vince. I'm on it." Dean walked quietly toward the bedroom, checking the other rooms as he walked past. He could hear crying, an infant screaming, and he gently pushed open the bedroom door.

"Lara!" She was limp on the bed, no movement other than her chest. He looked for the baby, and hear the cries, but couldn't find it. He felt confused. A woman stepped out of the bathroom, hair fluffed, make-up plastered on crudely.

"Are you ready to go honey?" She asked, running an hand down his chest. Dean lifted her hand off and looked at her, shock across his face.

"Nicole?" Nicole ran her hand down Dean's chest.

"You don't need her. She's useless. What we had was so much better, surely you can see that."

"Listen Nicole, we broke up. There is no going back. I'm with Lara now." Lachie heard the commotion coming from the bedroom, and came in behind Nicole. She was brushing herself up against Dean when Lachie grabbed her hands, pulling them behind her. She kicked and screamed at him, but Lachie was stronger. He held her back with ease. Dean, finally released from Nicole, moved over to where Lara was lying on the bed. He shook her gently.

"Lara. Lara," he said softly. Nicole snickered.

"Good luck waking her up," she said nastily. Dean grabbed the front of her shirt.

"What did you do to her?" He asked angrily. She smiled.

"You'll never know." Dean scrabbled over Lara's body, and found the puncture mark. He whirled around to face Nicole.

"Tell me what you did!" He roared. She shook her head.

"Why? So you can get back with her? If she's dead, then you and I can live together without anyone else." Dean was hit with a sudden thought.

"Where's the baby?" The silence was deafening in the room. Dean pulled open drawers, flinging clothes out. A police woman entered the room, and Lachie handed Nicole over to her.

"Where is the baby?" Dean asked, frustrated. A small cry sounded. He stopped Lachie with his arm, and put a finger to his own lips. A whimper sounded again, and Dean walked over to the wardrobe, opening the door slowly. As the light hit the baby's face, she cried louder. Dean's heart melted at the sight of her, and picked her up gently, cradling her. She was soothed instantly, and Dean looked up at Lachie, a grin spreading across his face. Lachie smiled back at him, and checked over Lara. He noticed something shiny on the floor, and picked it up.

"Dean, she's in shock." Lachie pulled out her top drawer, grabbing her blood glucose monitor. He pricked her finger, and inserted the strip into the machine. It beeped urgently, and Lachie dashed outside.

"What's up?" Called Dean.

"Her blood sugar is way too low. We need the ambo's to get here quick, otherwise she's never going to wake up." Dean sat down on the edge of the bed, surprise filling his entire being. It had only really hit him that Nicole had been behind all of this. It made sense. Lachie came back into the room, a paramedic team in tow. They assessed Lara, and had her transferred on the gurney in minutes.

"Sir, we should really take the baby with us. She needs to be checked at the hospital." Dean nodded numbly, and handed the infant over. The ambo supported her gently, and followed out the rest of the team. Lachie came back in.

"Hey, where's Michelle?" asked Lachie. Dean stood up, and looked around.

"Maybe she left?" He said. Lachie shook his head. The sirens outside wailed, and became quieter as they left the area. Chase came, drying his hands on a towel.

"What's up?" He asked.

"Have you seen Michelle?" Asked Dean.

"No, but her car's still parked out the front." Lachie and Dean looked at each, and split up. They searched cupboards in the house, looking for her. Chase heard a moan from the bathroom.

"Guys? In here!" He yelled, dropping down beside Michelle in the bathroom. The blood pooled around her, coming from her wrists and arms. Dean came in, and skidded on the bath mat. A bruise was forming on the side of her head, blooming beautifully. Dean pulled out his flashlight from his pocket, and flashed it into Michelle's eyes. Chase pulled off the mouth gag.

"Michelle, can you hear me?" Asked Dean. She mumbled slightly.

"Come on Michelle. Open your eyes." She forced them open, the light making her more nauseated. She threw up on Chase, unable to move. A tear rolled down her cheek. Chase got up and left to clean himself off.

"What happened Michelle?" Asked Dean. She wasn't responding the right way.

"I don…" She trailed off. Dean untied her arms and legs. She just flopped in the corner.

"Lachie, help me lift her up." Lachie came in, and slipped an arm under Michelle. Dean took the other side. Her dead weight dangled between them.

"What's wrong with her?" Asked Lachie. Dean shook his head.

"I have no idea, but I can bet all my pay for this week that Nicole did something to her. It's probably serious too, she saw Michelle as a threat." They got her out to the lounge, and put her down gently. She slumped, feeling like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. Dean looked at Lachie. Chase came back in through the front door, clean shirt on.

"So have you decided what's up with her?" He asked. Dean and Lachie both shook their heads. Michelle slipped over to the side of the lounge, and closed her eyes.

"Hey, no. Don't fall asleep Michelle," said Dean as he glanced over.

"But I'm tired," she said, slurring as her eyes drifted closed again. As Dean sat next to her, he noticed her breathing was off.

"Are you alright Michelle?" He asked, knowing he may not get an answer. She tried to force her eyelids open, but couldn't quite do it. She tried to take a breath, and couldn't quite manage it. She grabbed Dean's hand, and then started seizing. Lachie and Dean moved the coffee table out of the middle of the room, and sat next to her as she seized. After a few minutes, her body calmed down. It was still twitching though.

"Chase, call an ambulance! Lachie, she needs oxygen." The ambulance arrived in minutes, and the paramedics pushed the Gallagher boys out of the way. They loaded her onto the gurney, and she spasmed again. The two ambo's held her carefully, making sure she didn't fall off the stretcher. After she'd settled, they rushed her out, strapping her down carefully as they went.

"I've got to go with her, find out what's going on with Lara as well." The other two Gallagher's nodded, and Dean ran to the lift, following the ambo's. They held the door for him, and he tucked himself around the corner. The lift rumbled down slowly, taking it's time. When they got down stairs, the ambos practically flew over to the ambulance and pushed the stretcher inside. Dean climbed in behind her. Michelle was still unconscious, her hands twitching occasionally. Dean watched as the ambo officer inserted a drip into her arm. He took her other hand. He couldn't believe what Nicole had done, just to get to him. Tried to kill Lara and Michelle, sent threatening letters, graffitied cars, the list went on. The ambulance slowed, and pulled into the bay. They tugged Michelle's stretcher out, and quickly wheeled her inside. In seconds, doctors and nurses swarmed around her, and then she was gone. Dean ran his hands through his hair. What was supposed to be a normal day at work turned into a complete fiasco. He found the duty nurse, and asked her for directions to the maternity ward. He followed them to the letter, and found Lara's room. She had tubes and drips going into her everywhere, trying to get her restabilised. Dean grabbed a passing nurse.

"Can you tell me what's happening with Miss Knight please?" The nurse nodded, and picked up Lara's chart from the desk nearby, flipping through the chart.

"She was admitted in a severe hypoglycaemic condition, with a morphine overdose. We're trying to stabilise her at the moment."

"What about her baby?"

"She's being monitored in NICU at the moment." Dean nodded.

"Can I see Lara?" The nurse nodded, and motioned for Dean to go inside. He stepped in quietly, and sat next to her bed, holding her hand. He wanted her to get better, go back to being the Lara she used to be. He kissed her hand.

"I love you Lara Knight."

* * *

Chase and Lachie arrived a little while later, and asked to see Heidi and Jordan.

"Mr Zwitkowski is in room 304, and Miss Wilson hasn't finished in surgery yet." Chase and Lachie glanced at each other.

"Surgery?" the nurse nodded, checking her chart again.

"The wound was deeper than expected, and they took her down to the OR to patch her back up." Chase gulped, and together they headed up to Jordan's room. When they entered, he was restless.

"Where's Heidi?" He asked as soon as Chase and Lachie came in.

"She's been taken to the OR." Jordan looked up at them, confused.

"OR? What happened while I was out?" Chase filled him in, explaining Nicole's involvement. Jordan shook with anger. Lachie laid a hand on Jordan.

"Calm down mate, she's in custody now." Jordan struggled to compose his breathing, and settled back down.

"So how are you?" Asked Chase.

"Bit of a headache, a lump on my noggin. I'll be ok though." He leant back against the pillows.

"Can you let me know when Heidi's out of surgery?" Chase nodded, and Jordan's eyes started to close. Chase motioned to Lachie, and they crept out. Lachie walked over to the nurses station.

"Can you tell me where I might find Michelle Letourneau?" He asked politely. The nurse shook her head.

"I'm sorry sir, she's been moved up to a secure ward with police protection. You'll have to go up there and see them if you want more information." He nodded, and returned to where Chase was sitting.

"You right to stay here? I'm going up to find out how Michelle's going." Chase nodded, and rested back in the chair. Lachie walked away, up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He made it up to the fifth floor, and was met almost instantly by a police security team. Ian appeared, and edged around the force.

"It's alright men, he can come through." Lachie smiled gratefully at the men, and walked past them into Michelle's room.

"What's the go with all the cops Ian?" Asked Lachie.

"Nicole escaped custody this morning. I've got two men with severe head injuries trying to stop her." Lachie gasped, and sat down.

"Do we know what she's going to do?" Ian shook his head.

"No idea, but we've got police and security on all the rescue people." Lachie nodded, and ran his hands through his hair.

"How's Michelle?" He asked.

"They're trying to get the morphine out of her system. She should be okay, but they'll keep her here for a few nights." A police officer entered the room, and spoke to Ian in an urgent whisper. He got up, and motioned for Lachie to follow him. He walked outside, and Senior Constable Zoe Hulme met them.

"Zoe? What are you doing here?" asked Lachie. He embraced her. He had met the girl once, but knew that Dean was really in to her at some point. She smiled sadly.

"Detective Johnson, we've had a call from NICU. We need to get down there." Ian nodded, and motioned for Lachie to follow him. They pounded down the stairs, and met absolute chaos in NICU. Nurses were being questioned by police, some of them in tears.

"What's going on?" Asked Lachie. Ian conferred with another cop, and looked at Lachie.

"Lara's baby has been taken."

* * *

 

Heidi felt like she was floating, with no air. The pain was gone, no blood, no injuries. Just… free…

"I need another blood transfusion, stat!" The nurses in the OR scrambled around. Heidi was bleeding profusely, as they hurried to close the wound. A nurse hooked up a new bag onto her IV. The doctor got her laceration stitched up. Heidi's face was white, and they moved her out of the theatre carefully, and took her upstairs to her room. She was stable, but critical at this point. Chase saw them wheel her past, and grabbed one of the nurses.

"What's going on?"

"She was bleeding badly. We've stitched up the wound, but she's going to need more transfusions." Chase nodded, shocked.

"She'll be okay; she just needs time to heal." Lachie came sprinting past.

"Need you." Chase glanced at him, and followed after him.

"What's going on?" He asked, struggling to keep up with Lachie.

"Nicole escaped police custody, and Lara's baby has been taken." He steered himself into Lara's room. She still wasn't awake, and Dean had fallen asleep holding her hand. Lachie shook him gently.

"Dean. Dean, wake up." Dean's eyes fluttered open, and he looked at Lachie and Chase groggily.

"What's wrong?" He slurred as he struggled to wake up.

"Come outside; it's urgent." Dean followed them out, and looked at them both, arms crossed.

"What?"

"Nicole escaped from the police, and Lara's baby has been taken from NICU." Dean's eyes popped open. He was awake now, and he was angry. He stormed down the hall to the NICU, where Ian was standing, discussing things with the other officers gathered around him. Dean stormed into the group.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked angrily. Zoe stepped out from the group, and pushed him out. Ian kept talking to the cops.

"Dean, we're trying to work. What is going on?" He looked at her.

"Zoe. Nice to see you again. Why are you here?"

"Ian and I are in charge of this case. I've been working with him since the beginning." He looked at her, shock on his face.

"What? Never mind, what's going on with Lara's baby?"

"We're trying to track down all of Nicole's old haunts, see if we can find her. We have it on tape that she's the one who's got the baby, and we need to find her quickly, before she does something stupid." Dean nodded.

"I know some of her old houses, places she used to hang. Can I help?" Zoe looked uncertain. He had too much invested in this case; on the other hand, he and Nicole dated, so he did have some background information they didn't know about. She nodded.

"Come on, we'll pair a rescue person with a cop. We can spread the team better that way." Dean nodded his head in affirmation, and they joined the meeting.

"We need to go over some of the old homes she has resided in." Zoe butted in on Ian's speech.

"That's all good. I was thinking if we pair one of the rescue boys with an officer, we could get more ground covered in finding this child." Ian nodded at her.

"That's fine; split up and head off." Zoe grabbed Dean's arm and dragged him after her. Lachie and Chase were left to pair up with others.

"Zoe; slow down!" She stopped for a moment, and kissed him on the lips, pulling herself into him. He pushed her away.

"Zoe, what is going on?"

"I left him Dean. I want you back." Dean shook his head, and backed away from her.

"What is it with you women at the moment? Smell a whiff of commitment and you all come running. Zoe, I'm dating Lara. We're engaged. You can't just waltz back into my life and want me back." She let him go, and glared at him.

"All because of Lara, isn't it? Go find the baby yourself. I'm transferring to Perth Unit anyway, and I don't need to be here anymore." She climbed into the police car, and sped away, tires squealing. Dean sighed, and jogged over to the patrol that Chase and Lachie had driven over in. he pulled out the keys, and started the ignition. He drove away out of the hospital grounds, and accelerated out into the traffic. He had to find Nicole, and get Lara's baby back. He entered Redfern area, and saw a blonde woman. He recognised her instantly as Nicole, and braked hard. He parked the patrol haphazardly, and jumped out.

"Nicole!" He sprinted after her. She turned around and saw Dean coming after her, and she ran.

"Nicole! Stop!" He ran faster. She tripped and fell, and Dean caught up to her quickly. He rolled her over.

"What did you do with the baby?" He demanded. She smiled maniacally at him.

"Baby's gone Dean." She giggled a little. Dean noticed her bloodshot eyes, and the needle tracks in her arms. She was a user.

"What do you mean 'gone'?" He asked frustrated.

"I got rid of her. If Lara didn't have her baby, then maybe you wouldn't stay with her, and you could come back to me. We were so good together Dean, and I threw that away. Now I want you back. I need you back! Stay with me Dean, don't leave me." He heard sirens in the background, coming closer. He hoped they would see the patrol and stop. He pulled his radio off his shirt.

"Rescue One to Rescue Six, are you nearby?"

"Rescue One, we are nearby. We can see the patrol. ETA two minutes." Dean dropped his radio, and turned his attention back to Nicole, anger coursing through his veins.

"What do you mean when you say 'got rid of the baby'?"

* * *

The police arrived with Lachie and Chase in tow, and hand-cuffed Nicole quickly. Lachie grabbed Dean's arm. ****

"Where's the baby?" He asked, concerned.

"She won't tell. All she says is that she got rid of it. I'm hoping for Lara's sake that she just passed the baby off to someone else, but there's always the possibility she took it too far." Chase nodded, and glanced up as a patrol screamed to a halt next to them. Kate climbed out, and Vince drove away.

"Heard you guys were doing some search over the radio. Need some help?" She said, clipping her radio more securely to her shirt. Lachie gave her a quick hug.

"Are you sure you're alright to do this?" She nodded.

"The hospital cleared me. I'm fine." Dean didn't feel convinced, but knew they had to find this baby, and find her soon.

"Okay, we'll pair up. Chase with me, Lachie and Kate together. Check everything." Dean and Chase sprinted forward. Lachie walked at a slightly more sedate pace.

"Who are we looking for?" Asked Kate as she kept up easily with Lachie.

"Lara's baby."

"What? When did she have the baby?"

"A few hours ago."

"And who is this Nicole chick?"

"She's an ex-girlfriend of Dean's who's taken it upon herself to get rid of Lara and her baby, and to try and get rid of Michelle, so there was no competition." Kate flung out a hand, stopping Lachie in his tracks.

"What?" He asked. She put a finger to her lips, silencing him. He looked at her.

"Did you hear that?" She whispered. He listened carefully for a moment. A whimper rent the air. Kate pointed to an empty warehouse.

"Over there!" She sprinted in the direction she had indicated, Lachie grabbing his radio as he ran.

"Dean, I think we've found her. A warehouse north of our starting position." Dean stopped, and turned back. He ran full speed toward the warehouse. Kate made it inside first, Lachie close to her heels. The crying increased in volume, almost screaming. It was coming from the top floor, a rickety ladder the only way up. Lachie made to climb it, and Kate stopped him.

"I'm lighter. Let me do it." He nodded, and steadied the ladder as Kate made her ascent. She made it to the top, and looked around. Empty boxes littered the floor, and it smelt horrible. Kate wrinkled her nose, and looked around. The dust on the floor looked to be about an inch thick. She stepped carefully over rags on the ground, and noticed a section where the dust appeared to be disturbed. She picked up one of the boxes, and the baby girl lay underneath, her face scrunched up, little fists balled. She had nothing but a diaper on, and a grubby towel underneath her. Kate picked her up gently. The tiny infant was chilled, her fingers and toes looking slightly blue.

"I've found her!" Called Kate. Dean breathed a sigh of relief, and sat on the floor where he stood. Chase squatted down next to him, and rubbed his back.

"Is she okay?" Called up Lachie.

"She's a little cold, you might want to have someone's jacket ready. She's got nothing on."

"Alright. Bring her down carefully." Kate moved over to the ladder, and stepped down carefully. About halfway down, she felt the ladder creak ominously, and it shuddered.

"Lachie, is everything okay?" She called down.

"Yeah, it's good. Why did you stop?" She shook her head, and stepped down again. The rung underneath her foot gave way, and she felt herself falling backward. She held the baby to her chest, trying to protect her. Lachie watched everything happen in slow motion, unable to do anything but watch in horror. Chase and Dean looked up to see Kate's body as it accelerated to the floor. She hit it hard, legs trapped underneath her. The air in her lungs was expelled, and she gasped. Chase and Dean came over Dean picked up the baby, and checked her over. Ten fingers, ten toes, she was all there. He wrapped his jacket around her, and cradled her to his torso, trying to keep her warm. Kate gulped as she tried to pull in air.

"Is she alright?" asked Dean, rocking slightly to soothe the screaming baby. Lachie checked her over.

"No spinal damage, I think she's just winded," said Lachie. Chase moved to untangle Kate's legs, and she winced, tearing up a little.

"Don't," she whispered. Chase looked at her.

"I need to check your legs. You hit the floor pretty hard." She nodded, and braced herself. Chase moved one leg, and she screamed and struggled, trying to make him stop. Lachie held her down as Chase moved her other leg, straightening it. She broke down into sobs, the pain increasing in her leg. Chase put a hand on it, and the act of touching her leg made her cry harder. Chase pulled over a medi-kit, and set-up a green whistle for her. He handed it to her, and she sucked on it, feeling the relief kick in. Chase pulled out a splint, and lifted her leg gently. He strapped her into it.

"Is she alright?" Asked Dean. The baby had stopped crying, and was snuffling gently on his shirt. Chase shook his head.

"I'm pretty sure it's broken. She's lucky she didn't break both. It's splinted for now, but we need to get her to the hospital, get it x-rayed and set properly." Dean nodded.

"We can take her." Chase and Lachie helped Kate stand. She giggled, the pain relief making her a little high.

"You smell awesome," she said, her head resting on Lachie's shoulder. He laughed, and helped her out. Dean came up behind them, speaking softly to the baby.

"Let's get you back to your mum so she can meet you for real this time."

* * *

 

Kate was x-rayed as soon as she arrived at the hospital, and Chase's diagnosis of a broken leg was confirmed. She'd be in plaster for up to eight weeks. Dean left Chase and Lachie with Kate, and took the baby girl up to NICU, handing her over to nurses there. He felt his heart aching as he handed her back, and wished, deep down, that she was really his, not some strangers. This was the second time he'd missed on out actually being a father. James wasn't his, and now Lara's baby girl wasn't his. There wasn't even a chance. Lara had a paternity test done during her pregnancy, and they revealed that she wasn't his. He stared at her through the glass window, her tiny fingers curled around the blanket that adorned her crib. His arms felt empty without her. He looked one last time, and headed up to Lara's room. She was awake when he got up there.

"Hey gorgeous, how are you doing?" She pulled off her oxygen mask.

"A little bit less than glamorous. What happened?" He took a seat next to her bed, pulling it close.

"It was Nicole, always her. She wanted me back, and tried to get rid of you and Michelle to convince me that I didn't need you."

"What did she do?"

"Knocked Jordan unconscious, knifed Heidi, drugged Michelle, overdosed you on insulin, and tried to hide the baby." Lara nodded, shocked at what Nicole had tried to do.

"Ian was in here a little while ago. He was talking about her and the baby, something about Nicole taking her. What happened?" Lara tried to sit up, and eventually gave up, settling back against her pillows.

"She tried to get rid of your baby, to convince me that I didn't need you." She gripped his hand.

"Did you find her?" He nodded, and a tear rolled down his face.

"I've never been so scared in my life. My greatest fear is that we wouldn't find her, and that she'd done something to her. When we found her, she was screaming, and so cold, I bundled her up on my chest, and it felt like she was my own flesh and blood." Tears streamed down his face faster, and he wiped them away hurriedly. Lara stroked his head, and then leant forward, kissing him on the forehead.

"She'll be as much your flesh and blood as she is mine. Yes, someone else is her father, but you will be her dad, the one who's always there for her. You'll be the one to be there when she falls to pick her up. She'll be the one to call you daddy, not some other guy. He doesn't have any rights over her anyway, the names on her birth certificate will be your name, and mine." He leant up and kissed her, then pulled back, looking her in the eyes.

"Marry me?"

* * *

Michelle woke up, groggily, and tried to make sense of her surroundings.

"Where am I?" She asked, confused. Ian dropped his paper on the table.

"Hey. You're in the hospital. Do you remember what happened?" She shook her head.

"It's all a bit hazy." The nausea was still strong, but subsiding.

"Nicole drugged you. She was trying to knock you off so she could have Dean. She was remembering your romantic encounter from a few years back, and still thinks you're a threat. So she bound you. And shot you up with morphine. When the Gallagher boys found you, you were in a bit of trouble. They called an ambulance and brought you back here, and we've been waiting for you ever since." She nodded, and then a thought struck her.

"Wait, how's Lara?"

"She's in the maternity ward being monitored. The baby, I think she's ok." Michelle gripped his hand.

"What do you mean 'think' she's okay?" Asked Michelle.

"Well, she was kidnapped from the NICU ward earlier today. Nicole escaped custody and took her." Michelle just stared at him.

"What happened then?"

"Dean, Lachie, Chase and Kate went out looking for her, and found Nicole near a warehouse in Redfern. The baby was up under a box, where Nicole had tried to hide her. Kate was in a bit of an accident getting her down though, when one of the ladder rungs gave way. She protected the baby, but broke one of her legs when she fell. We got the baby back okay though." Michelle nodded, and settled back down.

"How's Jamie? I was supposed to pick him up from pre-school, but I didn't. Did you get him?" Ian nodded.

"He's at your place with the nanny. I'll probably pick him up and take him back to my place." Michelle nodded.

"Thanks Ian." He held her hand in his.

"Can you reconsider taking me back? I miss you Michelle." She snatched her hand away.

"Ian, we've talked about this. After what you did to me with Hayden Bradley and LifeBlood, I just can't trust you. I'm sorry." He got up, and walked to the door.

"I'm not going to stop Michelle. I want you back."

* * *

Jordan asked the nurse to wheel him to Heidi's room, and she acquiesced. He was wheeled in, and put next to Heidi's bed. She was still unconscious, a blood transfusion still in progress. The bandage covering her wound was stained with blood, and probably due for a change. He held her hand, kissing it gently. He hoped she would be alright, and wake up, but she probably would stay under for a while. He put her hand back on the bed, and smoothed her hair back, kissing her on the forehead. It was quiet in the room, and Jordan enjoyed the silence, and fell asleep leaning on Heidi's bed.

* * *

Lara watched as the nurse wheeled her baby in, excitement building within her. Dean was sitting in the chair next to her bed, and watched her as she finally got to hold her baby. Lara's face melted as she saw the tiny infant, and held her close to her chest. A tear rolled down her cheek.

"She's beautiful." Dean nodded, watching the two favourite girls in his life bond. The baby fell asleep in her arms almost instantly, soothed by Lara's heartbeat. Lara smiled down at the tiny baby, bundled in a blanket. The nurse returned with paperwork.

"Have you picked a name?" She asked kindly. Lara looked at Dean, and he smiled at her.

"I'm fine with whatever you pick." She nodded.

"Mikayla Dayne Gallagher." Dean took in a sharp breath.

"Are you sure?" He asked. Lara nodded, and held his hand.

"I'm going to marry you Dean. She might as well have your last name." The nurse handed Lara the paperwork, and passed the baby to Dean whilst she filled it out.

"Can you fill in the father's name too please?" Asked the nurse. Lara nodded, and printed Dean's name neatly on the line. The nurse took the paperwork from Lara when she was finished, and left them in peace. Lara took Mikayla back from Dean.

"What made you pick that name?" He asked.

"Mum's favourite name was Mikayla, but Dad was the one who named me Lara. She wanted to have more kids, and had an entire list of names already picked out. Then she found out she couldn't have anymore, and burnt the list. Dad wanted a son called Dane, so I picked the feminine version for her. That way some memories of both my parents are living through her." Dean smiled.

"I couldn't think of a better name." Vince appeared at the door.

"She's gorgeous Lara," he said as he walked in.

"Vince! What are you doing here?" Asked Lara. He sat on the other side of the bed in a plastic chair.

"Well, when your daughter has a broken leg, and you have to come in to sign paperwork because she's so high, thought I might come in and pay a visit. May I hold her?" Lara nodded, and passed her to him. He marvelled at her tiny features.

"Have you named her yet?" Lara nodded.

"Her name is Mikayla Dayne Gallagher." Vince nodded, and looked at her.

"That's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." He continued to coo over the small child, and Dean held Lara's hand, watching them. Chase and Jess came in next.

"Hey Lara," said Jess excitedly. Chase slapped Dean on the back.

"So you're a dad now?" He asked. Dean nodded.

"That's what it says on the birth certificate. She's mine and Lara's." Chase smiled.

"Congrats Lara. You guys picked a name yet?" Dean nodded, and told them her name.

"Mikayla. Has a nice ring to it, definitely a rescue worthy name." Lara laughed at Chase's comment.

"Chase, that makes you an uncle if Dean's the father." Chase's face sobered.

"I'm too young to be an uncle!" He whined. The room filled with laughter.

"Lara, can I have a hold?" Asked Jess shyly.

"Sure. Vince, if you'll kindly pass my daughter over." He nodded, reluctant to give her up, and passed her to Jess. Jess smiled as she received the baby, cradling her gently.

"Oh Lara, she's beautiful." Lara smiled.

"Thanks Jess." Chase looked over Jess's shoulder at Mikayla.

"She has your nose Lara."

"And your lips!" Added Jess. Chase picked Mikayla up from Jess, and held her close to his chest.

"She's so tiny. And quiet," he added. Vince stood up.

"Well, I've got to go. Got to face Vanessa and explain to her how our child ended up injured again. You all need to take better care of her just so I can stay safe from my ex-wife." The two couples laughed as Vince left the room. Chase passed Mikayla back to Lara as she started to squall, hungry. Jess watched Lara as she fed the infant.

"Are you and Chase planning on kids?" Asked Lara, noticing Jess's eyes on her.

"Oh, I don't know, it depends on Chase. I don't think so though, it'd be too hard on him. I'm not really mobile enough to deal with a baby myself, and he'd have to stop working for a while to help me." Lara nodded, and the now satisfied Mikayla drifted off to sleep in Lara's arms. Chase noticed Lara's own drooping eyelids, and excused themselves from the room, promising to come back tomorrow. He wheeled her out of the hospital, and helped her into the car. He turned on the ignition, and pulled into the night traffic.

"Do you want kids?" He asked quietly. Jess shrugged her shoulders.

"Do you?"

"Of course I do. I'm all for continuing the family line, and getting to have kids, teach them everything I know, is just one of those great dreams of mine." Jess was quiet, unusually so. Chase put a hand across to her, and clutched her smaller one in his.

"What's wrong?"

"I just don't know. I wanted kids before the accident, but now, I just don't think it would be the best for a child to come into our lives. I mean, what happens if I fall or something, or can't reach the baby? What would I do?" Chase was quiet.

"You don't have to make a decision about it now. If you decide that you don't want kids, that's okay. I'll survive. I can always spend time with Mikayla." Jess nodded as they pulled up at the house. Chase helped her out, and she kissed him.

"I'm sorry, I'm not ready yet." He nodded.

"That's okay. I'll still love you just as much."

* * *

 

Heidi woke up to a throbbing pain in her side, and Jordan asleep next to her. She smiled, and ran her fingers through his hair. He awoke with a start, then smiled at her.

"Hey. How are you going?" asked Jordan. Heidi winced a little.

"I'm a little sore, but it should heal in time." She stroked the lump on the side of his head.

"Yeah, it's a bit sore, but I'm okay." Dean came in. He'd left Lara for the night, and would come back in the morning.

"Hey, how you both going?"

"Yeah, alright. It'll take time for me to get back on track, but I should be alright," said Heidi, putting a hand on her tender side. Jordan glanced at Dean.

"How's Lara and the baby?" he asked. He'd missed almost everything after he'd been knocked out, and didn't even know who it was.

"Lara's good now, baby's healthy too."

"So what happened? Between us, we don't remember a lot." Dean came in and sat down with them.

"Well, Michelle came in and helped Lara give birth. Nicole was actually the psychopath who was sending us the notes. She was the one who whacked Jordan here, knifed Heidi, drugged Michelle and tried to overdose Lara." Heidi's mouth gaped.

"How did she manage all of that?" Asked Heidi.

"We're not sure, but after we dealt with all of you, the police came and took Nicole away. A few hours later, she escaped custody and headed back here and took Mikayla." Jordan looked at Dean.

"Mikayla?" He asked.

"Lara's baby. She's been named Mikayla Dayne Gallagher. Anyway, we caught her, and brought Mikayla back here." Heidi nodded.

"Wow, so much has happened since yesterday." Dean nodded.

"I know. Now I'm a father! It's all so overwhelming." Heidi smiled at Dean.

"You'll be fine. Lara has faith in you. How's everyone else?" She asked.

"Well, Kate's broken her leg after she climbed down a rickety ladder and one of the rungs snapped. Chase and Jess were here earlier, and they're fine. Lachie is just… well… Lachie." Dean shrugged his shoulders, and stood up.

"Wait, how's Michelle?"

"She's getting there. They had to get the drugs out of her system, but she should be fine." Heidi nodded.

"Thanks Dean. You heading home?" He bobbed his head.

"Yeah, I can't remember the last time I had a decent sleep." He farewelled them and left the room. Heidi leant over awkwardly, and kissed Jordan.

"I love you babe."

* * *

A few days later Lara and Mikayla were discharged from hospital. Lara took her new baby girl home with Dean, and the drive home was quiet. When they arrived at Lara's apartment, she hesitated.

"What's wrong?" Asked Dean, wrapping an arm around her.

"It's just, weird to be coming home without a threat from Nicole, or something hanging over my head." Dean kissed her forehead.

"It's all okay now. She's been put in jail, and she won't be released for a very long time." She smiled at him, and they headed upstairs into her apartment. Dean had been in while she was in hospital and, with the help of Shane and Fiona, had cleaned up her house. He unlocked the door, and opened for her. She walked in, marvelling at the cleaned carpets and the fresh smell. She looked at Dean.

"Did you do this?" She asked.

"I wish I could say yes, but Dad and Fiona came over and cleaned up." She kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank them for me?" He nodded, and she walked into the nursery.

"This, Mikayla, is your room, decorated for you by your aunts." Mikayla shifted in Lara's arms, but didn't wake. Lara laid her down in the crib, and covered her with the matching blanket. Mikayla yawned, and balled up her fists. Lara smiled at her beautiful daughter. It still felt surreal to be holding this tiny person, her own flesh and blood. Dean came up behind her, and kissed her. She kissed him back.

"Thank you."

* * *

Michelle was released the day after Lara, and headed straight into Rescue HQ. They'd started work last month on the renovations for Jess's wheelchair, to make everything more accessible. Chase, Lachie and Vince were in, working on paperwork, filing. Jordan was expected in later, and Heidi was due to be released later the next afternoon. Michelle sat in her office when Dean and Lara showed up, baby capsule dangling from Lara's hands. Michelle smiled as they walked into her office.

"Who's this?" She asked in her best baby voice.

"Michelle, meet Mikayla Dayne Gallagher." Michelle lifted her out of the carrier, and cradled her in her arms.

"Lara, she's beautiful. Even more so than when I first saw her." Lara smiled.

"Michelle, thank you so much for being there. I don't know what I would have done." Michelle laughed at her.

"You would have given birth to her anyway." She rocked Mikayla back and forth as she started to whimper. Lara looked at Dean, and then at Michelle.

"We'd like to name you as one of her godparents, if that's alright by you." Michelle teared up a little.

"Lara, that would be amazing," she said, choked up with emotion. Lara and Dean smiled at each other, and held hands.

"Who's the other godparent?" Asked Michelle as she gazed down at Mikayla's tiny face.

"We've decided that Vince will be the other godparent. Shane and Fiona, once Dean and I are married, will be grandparents anyway, and you and Vince are the best choices." Michelle smiled at Lara.

"Thank you. I would be honoured to be Mikayla's godmother." She rocked Mikayla gently, and looked at her again, stroking her chubby cheek.

"Welcome to the rescue family Mikayla."


End file.
